Trouble
by Solange Amira Tennyson
Summary: BroEdd Fanfic. Eddward Jones leaves Peach Creek to go to a prestigious college in NY. Eddy's brother, Matthew works there in a sleazy night club as a bouncer. Double D gets to know what loneliness really is and has no choice... WARNINGS: MxM/Alcohol Abuse/Attempted Non-con/Smut [Battygirl is the betareader of the story!]
1. Prologue

NOTE'S AUTHOR:

This is my first fanfiction in english. Battygirl is the betareader and I don't have a lot of experience with writing stuff. Hope you like it anyway!

This chapter is a prologue to start the story.

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CHAPTER 1:

It was a hot day in Peach Creek. The sun was burning all over Cul De Sac and the birds singing filled the air. The sky was blue and there wasn't any trace of clouds, the light breeze accompanied people's murmurs indoors, they were all taken by their daily things. School, work or just houseworks kept them occupied. For all the kids it was just a boring day of the end of the summer.

But not for Eddward Marion Jones.

The long-brown haired boy stood from hours closed in his bedroom folding his clothes, filling suitcases and bags and putting in order all his stuff in a maniacal way. His books were piled on the floor and they should be put in a box with other things we had in his room.

His parents had already started to make him ridiculous recommendations although it was two more days to his departure to New York. A prestigious college was waiting for him in the big city. He was really flustered because he'd never been there and he didn't know anyone.

He had already told all his friends about the departure, including of course Eddy and Ed.

He had spent all his childhood and all his adolescence with his friends and now, at 18 years old he had to leave everything. Through he couldn't wait to leave Peach Creek, he always had dreamed about studying and graduating with highest honors. Going to a prestigious school had been always his dream since he was a little kid, he could already see him as researcher or as a doctor.

Edd huffled tiredily and he sat down on his bed. Maybe he had to calm down for a while. At least he still had a lot of time for preparing everything and he shouldn't hurry up. He threw himself on the soft blankets of his bed and he closed his eyes. He wondered how his life could be without his friends...He wondered how could be his life if he were completely alone.

Suddenly he heard the door open and his mother entered in his bedroom like a rocket.

"Eddward, honey! Hurry up and pack your bags!" Linda, a tall women with a youthful look headed to her son's bed and stood next to him.

"Mom, I tidied up 'till now, I'm tired." So many times his mother bothered him among notes and warnings. Since two or three days, she obsessed her son with the bags thing.

"Are you sure? Don't procrastinate too much!" Linda turned herself, she went out and closed the door behind her.

Edd just sighed and he sat up again watching the pile of books next to him. He decided to go to Eddy's house for a while as usual, probably Ed was already there. He wanted to take advantage of it and spent some time with them before the leaving.

He got out quickly from the bed and he fixed it a little bit; he couldn't stand the mess. He went out from his room and stepped down silently, he opened the door and went outside in a hurry walking to Eddy's house. While walking his mind wandered again; he wondered who he'd have known in his college year. People just like him probably. His thoughts distracted too much and he realized that he has overstepped his friend's house. He smiled to himself, it'd never happened. He went back, approached the door and knocked loudly. Suddenly the door opened and the blue haired boy appeared in front of his friend.

"Double D? Here you are! Where have you been?!" Eddy yelled at him with an annoyed tone.

"I'm sorry I had a problem with packing bags." Edd apologized with his usual tone.

"Are you still packing bags?! Damn, you started a week ago!" Eddy yelled again and huffled. He adored the long-haired boy but sometimes he couldn't stand his annoying obsessions.

"Indeed I started just yesterday, Eddy. By the way, is Ed already here? Asked Edd.

The shortest boy shaked his head. "No, he went to see his father with Sarah."

In the last period Edd and Eddy didn't see him so much. Maybe it was because his family's problems.

"What a shame, I wanted to see him!" Edd was kind of sad; he just wanted to see his two dearest friends.

"Why? You're not leaving right now. Calm down, buddy." Eddy smirkled at him.

"No, but..." Double's voice cracked. Eddy sighed and he moved a little bit. After a few seconds of silence, Eddy cut off the silence between them.

"So..would you like to come in or would you rather stay outside?" He said sarcastically with a little smile on his face.

"Oh yeah, sure." Edd came into the pleasant home uncertainly. It was really messy like usual. He took off his shoes and left on the floor. He went in the living room and sat up on the couch. Eddy joined him immediately.

"Well, do you know what's going on?" The blue haired boy asked with enthusiasm.

"No, what you mean?" Edd frowned and glanced him.

"I finally found a job here in Peach Creek!" Eddy was really excited about it.

"Really? It's fantastic!" Edd was surprised, he didn't expect that Eddy had already found a job, especially there.

"I work in a workshop close to Rolf's house. They also pay me good money, Double D." He smirked again to his friend.

"You're always the same, Eddy." Double D hinted a little smile.

"Aww are you jelly? You just asked to go to a expensive school!" He yelled again like usual.

"Don't be so loud, Eddy! You should already know that I personally I don't really want to find a job so young!" Edd glared his friend and leaned his back on the couch. Eddy turned on the tv and replied while he switched off.

"If you're happy...But you have to know that sooner or later you will come to visit us strength, you will not be rid of us so easily."

"I'll try to come back here as soon as possible." He smiled again while watching his friend who was laying on the couch next to him. "You know Eddy, you and Ed will be the two people that I will miss most of Peach Creek apart from my parents."

"Obviously, sockhead." The blue haired boy grinned amused and reached an arm behind Edd's back; he blushed and looked away. He just couldn't deny that Eddy had a certain charm. He noticed it since they were kids. Suddenly the shortest boy had a strange smile on his face but it was different; looked more like a smirk...

Edd frowned and blushed more "What are you thinkin' about?"

"I suppose you don't even know this, sockhead." His tone sounded strange. "You know, Kharma is really a bitch. Just when I found a job, my brother lost his. He called our mother a few days ago."

"Y-your brother?!" Double wide opened his eyes; he had still shivers at the thought of that man.

"Don't worry, he's not here in Peach Creek." Actually, Matthew would never presented after everything he had done to him and all his friends. And by the way he'd also lost his job.

He wasn't going to show himself, but unfortunately Edd would meet him anyway.


	2. Nice to meet you, Girlfriend

CHAPTER 2:

The confusion filled the small room of the bar. Eddward quickly passed through the tables to serve the customers; although he'd only been hired as a waiter recently, he had already become familiar with the new job. Obviously, he aspired for something more than a dull job like that but he had no choice: he needed money and he didn't have intention to ask his parents. They were so stingy! And then, it would be really embarrassing. He was no longer a little boy that needed to be supported economically by his family.

Whatever, all things considered, he continued to maintain his habits and study hard. The university was pretty difficult, but for someone like Edd it wasn't so hard. He always had been a bright kid and his parents knew that it was worth it.

In general, the idea of going in a completely new city had electrified him but since he lived alone, it had not changed much. His parents were practically non-existent; only interested in his school grades. More than anything else, the absence of his closest friends was heavy. Often, he phoned Ed, but most of the time he didn't reply. Instead, he talked more often with Eddy, but since he started dating Lee Kanker he had become more elusive. After the short conversations he always found himself sighing next the phone and a sense of emptiness hit him. He feared that his dearest friends might abandon him.

The long haired boy continued to walk through the tables; he looked around if there were other customers in the hall. Suddenly he noticed a man familiar-looking sitting alone on a table. Quickly he grabbed the little notepad from his pocket and approached him.

"Hello! Can I help you?" Edd said with a uncertain voice.

The man turned his head towards him and glared. "Yeah, do you have coffee liqueur?"

Edd noted immediately and looked back at the man in front of him:"Sure! I'll immediately bring it to you!" He turned and he retreated to the bench to bring the order. With the corner of his eye he noticed the man was still looking at him.

It took a little time, but when the drink had been prepared, he brought the tray with the glass to the man walking again through the tables. He set the glass on the table where the strange guy had stopped.

"Thanks, Princess."

"W-what? Edd said faltering.

"Oh come on! You haven't recognize me yet?!" The man leaned his back on the back of the chair and grinned. Edd stood in silence, he had a nasty feeling but he wasn't sure.

"Oh come on, do you prefer me to call you Girlfriend?!" The strange man continued staring at the boy.

Edd widened his eyes and made a step back. "A-are you Eddy's brother?" He couldn't believe that. What the hell was he doing there ?!

"Yeah, right! You take a lot of time!" The man yelled with an amused tone and Edd blushed. Somehow, he looked similar to Eddy. How could not notice that? The long haired boy was pretty confused, but after few seconds he remembered. Eddy had told him that his Bro lost his job at Mondo A Go-Go and had probably gone to NYC to find a new one. Obviously he had more chances to find one in a big city like this, than in a out-of-the-way place where he used to live. Suddenly the elder interrupted the embarrassing silence between them.

"Why do you have that thoughtful face? You didn't expect to see me again, huh?" The man said with a weird smile on his face.

"Ehm, sincerely not." Edd stuttered as his hands started sweating. He didn't know how to do. The memory of what happened years ago in that amusement park was still imprinted in his mind. It was a traumatic even for him and everyone else in cul-de-sac, especially for Eddy. He had spoken so highly about his Bro all the time to seem "cool" but it was just a lie.

The elder cleared his voice, distracting Edd for his own thoughts.

"By the way, what're you doing here?" The man asked him with an interrogative tone rubbing his beard. Edd didn't seem a guy who liked to move a lot.

"E-ehm...I..." Edd gulped and continued to speak. "I moved here to go to the college..." He scratched his head. He still didn't trust this man; he didn't want to give him to much information.

"Who knows what prestigious college…You really look like the type who'd spend all day studying." The man grinned again and drank a sip of the liquor.

"Yes, actually, I enjoy math, science and chemistry." The elder was giving him confidence, though, he was Eddy's brother.

The man brought back his attention to the long-haired boy.

"So…why do you work here? Clumsy as you are, I can't see you as a waiter."

Edd blushed: it was true, but how did he know that?! Was Eddy's hand in this? "Really, I work here because I need some money…"

The man burst into a loud laugh; the long haired boy blushed and looked away.

"Now that you don't live with Mommy and Daddy anymore you finally understand the real value of money, huh, Princess?" The man continued to laugh in a vulgar way.

"Ehm..." Edd was really embarrassed. Why he had given that nickname?! They'd met years before. Now they had met causally and he had already given him a new pet name? Maybe if he presented himself, the man would stop calling him like that.

"Uhm, yes, well…We didn't have properly introduced yet..." Edd looked at the man. "I met you years ago, but I never introduced myself…" He reached out his hand uncertainly to the man. "My name is Eddward…nice to meet you."

The man looked at him for a moment; that boy was acting strange for him.

"I'm Matthew. Nice to meet you too."


	3. Lonely

Here is the new chapter ;) I know, it's pretty short ç:ç

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Two weeks had passed since Edd had met Matthew in the pub where he worked. He hadn't expected it; it was just like a bolt from the blue for him. He was still scared at the thought, he had been given a strange confidence that day. At first he hadn't recognize him at all. Obviously Eddy's brother had changed some. He was dressed differently and had a more mature look to him. All things considered, though, he didn't look terribly different since the last time he'd seen him six years before.

Matthew had something that really reminded him of Eddy, Edd had noticed. Maybe it was his physical appearance, maybe his manners…but they shouldn't be compared. Although they are brothers, they're two completely different persons. Eddy may seem selfish and at times he would act like a jerk but he was a good person. He loved his friends dearly and he cared for them a lot. He even cared about the man who had abused him in front of all the kids from cul-de-sac, including the other two Ed-boys.

Apparently, Eddy hadn't had the pleasant childhood with Bro he'd always talked about. He saw the man as a hero and Matthew had taken advantage of it. Eddy had just been a little kid who needed someone older than him to imitate. But Matthew wasn't the person to take as an example: he's always done whatever he wanted since he was a teen. After a fierce fight with his parents, he decided to run away without telling anyone; let alone his little brother. Eddy had taken it so badly and had even begun to feel guilty. He started thinking it was his fault; that he had done something wrong and that he had been the cause of his brother's departure. In all reality, he had just been too little to understand that he hadn't done anything wrong.

Edd knew that Matthew was a person that he had to stay away from. Eddy's brother had always been a rebellious individual; always in the midst of trouble. Eddward, on the other hand, had always been the exact opposite. He didn't want anything to do with the man. The stories the others in cul-de-sac had shared about that man, especially those from Kevin, gave him goosebumps. If there was anyone in this town that he should avoid, it was that man.

Unfortunately, he didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. There wasn't a day that passed in which he didn't feel alone. He'd spoken less and less with Ed and Eddy over the passing weeks. Apart from studying and working at his job, he didn't know what to do with his time. The loneliness was killing him.

Among other things, the long-haired boy knew that Eddy's brother was in the zone and that the man knew where he worked. When he would go out, he'd be on high alert. He felt frightened by the probability of meeting him again. The more he'd consider it though, the more he began to think: maybe it wouldn't be so bad. At the least, it may be better than the feeling of emptiness that he did not know how to get rid of.

The lamp was the only source of light in the small room. Edd sat on an uncomfortable chair with his face in a biology book. His head ached; he'd been stuck on that book for hours. He drank too much coffee in an effort to stay awake for a long time during the night. Leaning his elbows on the desk, he put his head in his hands. He couldn't take much more, but he had to finish that difficult part and he intended to memorize everything perfectly. He didn't want to leave anything out.

Sighing wearily, he rubbed his eyes. It was just before the end of the chapter and he hadn't the slightest intention to be unnecessarily distracted. He felt a little bit drowsy, which urged him to drink another generous sip of coffee before he continuing with his studies. He started tapping his fingers on the wooden desk and quickly realized that the caffeine was making him more jittery than focused. He briefly finished the chapter and closed the book. Leaning into the back of the chair, he stretched his arms. He sighed again, the clock ticked loudly as it displayed the time. It was almost midnight; he'd better to go to sleep. He wondered if he would be able to sleep after drinking all that caffeine.

Putting his desk up neatly, he arranged the papers with notes which had been scattered everywhere into a folder and put the biology book carefully above the other. With the passing of years, he still held a deep obsession with order. The only difference now was that he had abandoned - fortunately - his obsession for labels. He didn't need to label everything but, he did still keep the labeler in his bag. After all this time, he was attached to it some. It reminded him all he had experienced in his childhood. Sometimes he allowed himself to be carried away by his own memories. In those times, he didn't even realize the time he'd passed fantasizing. Since moving to New York, it had significantly increased.

Although he had arrived some time ago, he hadn't be able to bond with anyone. His roommate didn't show himself very often and, when he had, they had only had short conversations. In a way, Edd was still rather shy, he didn't know how to approach his peers. He felt so much more at ease with people he already knew over strangers.

The long haired boy lifted himself from the chair, putting it in its place before heading to the bathroom to prepare for bed. Afterwards, he returned to the bedroom. He checked his phone to see if he had received any calls. Unfortunately the answer was negative. With a sigh, he threw himself down onto the bed. His irritability was becoming sadness for the umpteenth time. He shook his head and closed his eyes, trying to dismiss all the depressing thoughts from his mind.

He hadn't meant to find himself crying again like a baby. It didn't happen so often but every time it did he felt so foolish. He was almost an adult, but his memories always brought him to a state of melancholy. He ended up lost and, when he returned to his reality, he would sink into a state of absolute sadness. He clenched his eyes shut tighter, trying to will away the tears that were burning his eyes. He started sobbing and turned onto his side. As with every other time he would find himself in this state, he damned his sensitive side.

His mind wanders and he begins to suspect that his dearest friends are fine without him. It was a terrible feeling that sometimes he couldn't relieve. Sometimes he felt happy about his life, but there were also times wherein he regretted his decision to venture to a new city he didn't know. He needed someone, in these times. But, he regrets to admit that he really didn't have anyone besides his dear friends from the cul-de-sac.


	4. A new meeting

Hope you like this chapter! I added a new character 'cause Edd would never go to a club by himself XD

Edd walked though the hallway to go to the cafeteria. Although he knew the food wasn't great, he just had to try to appreciate it. The college was prestigious and Edd felt as though there was little missing in it. However, the food wasn't its strong point.

The long haired boy finally entered the dining hall shyly. Taking a tray, he headed for the self-service area. Picking out the usual Friday meal, he took a seat at a table, alone. He ate slowly, watching his surroundings. He didn't dare to mingle with people he knew even a little on his own initiative. Unfortunately shyness was a strike for him. With a sigh, he kept on eating his tasteless meal. He didn't notice the red-haired girl coming behind him. She pat his shoulder, drawing the boy to turn towards her.

"Hey, can I sit with you? she asked gently.

"Sure," Edd motioned her to sit down.

The girl took a seat next to him and put her tray on the big table. Edd looked to her dubiously.

"I'm Kylie, nice to meet you!" The girl reached her hand towards the boy, "What's your name?"

"Oh, I'm Eddward. It's a pleasure to meet you too!"

They shook hands briefly.

"Are you new here?" Kylie asked curiously, "I don't think I've seen you before now."

"Yes, I am." Edd answered, looking away, returning to his meal, "I'm in the first year here…"

"Ah, I'm in the second…" she said with a smile, "Am I wrong or do you look a little bit nervous? Don't worry, I know how it feels."

"Thank you," Edd returned the smile, "I moved here from another state. Unfortunately, all my friends have taken different paths…" He looked down sorrowfully.

"Aw…I understand," Kylie nodded in understanding, "That happened to me too. But I've found some friends since I've been here." She tucked in to the hamburger she had in her tray. "If you go out on Friday nights, I'm sure you could find some buddies. You know how these college people are. They're just spoiled and snobby kids. I bet they ain't smart at all!"

"I know what you mean…" Edd concurred, "They're rather unbearable."

Kylie raised her head and glared at Edd for a few seconds; "Obviously they aren't all like that, but most tend to act like it…"

The girl had a resigned face like she had several experiences with type of persons.

"Fortunately I've met only a few people like that." Edd mentions as he turns his face towards the girl again, "Where are you from?"

"I'm from Dallas, Texas." Kylie replied smiling at him. "You?"

"I'm from West Virginia," Edd answered, "I originally lived in a really small district."

"Oh really?" she grinned, "I bet you've never been anywhere as crazy as this before you moved here for college." She moved her hand a lot while talking. "At least that's what happened to me. New York is such a big world to explore!"

"Most definitely," Edd nodded, "Coming here for college is my first exposure to New York. This city is amazing, I guess. I've only tried to see little of it, but I doubt I've seen even half of it."

It was true. The city of New York was really big and he didn't enjoy going out without a destination. He preferred much more to stay home, reading a book or studying.

"There's so many clubs in this city and so many places to see!" The red-haired girl exclaimed and turned to the boy. "Do you have plans tonight?!"

"Um…no, I suppose not…" Edd frowned "Why?"

"Great!" she replied enthusiastically, "You can come with me to this cute little place."

Edd's eyes widened and he glared at her suspiciously. "W-what do you mean?"

"It's a cool club, trust me!" Kylie said trying to convince him.

"Do you mean a night club?" the boy was skeptical and a bit frightened by the idea.

He had been to the discotheque once or twice when he'd been dragged by his friends. He didn't like those kind of places.

"Kind of," the girl replied a little amused before she bit her hamburger again.

"Just us two?" Edd frowned.

He wasn't the type of person who enjoyed attending clubs of any kind. But it had to be better than staying in his room, all alone for the umpteenth time.

"There are other 3 friends who'll be with us," Kylie replied, "Oh, and it's our friend's birthday who works there! So…Do you want to join us?"

Edd didn't know what to say to excuse himself; "I don't know—"

He was interrupted by the girl's shrill voice.

"Aw come on!" Kylie cried, "You'll meet him tonight! Jeez! Are you always so shy with people?"

Edd was doubtful, but realized it would be worth it. He was in New York City and he was almost an adult. It's time to take risks.

"Okay, if you care so much…" Edd sighed, "I'll go."

Kylie rejoiced at the affirmation. "I'll meet you outside at 11.30 pm on the dot, don't be late!" she giggled a bit and stood up from the table.

She took her tray and waved at him with her left hand. Edd turned around and tried to stop her.

"Wait!" he cried, "What time do you want to co—"

Kylie looked back at him from a distance and yelled at him, interrupting his sentence; "Really late! I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with us!"

Edd stayed with a slight grimace and stared after her for a few seconds longer, hoping she was joking. He was definitely nervous about going to a place like this but it seemed he would have to hope that it would be worth it.


	5. Crazy coincidence

New chapter! I was quicker this time ;)

Before he knew it, Eddward found himself in a sleazy club, surrounded by people he didn't know, with the exception of one. The music was loud and there was a strong smell of smoke in the air. Several people were dancing wildly on the dance floor. Others were drinking from their places at some of the tables. As he reflected, Edd realized that he didn't know what he was doing there. It was unusual for him. He had only been to a few, small discotheques and even in those times, he'd been forced to go by Ed and Eddy. With a sigh of resignation, he kept looking around, confused. He had no idea what to do. Suddenly, Kylie stepped in front of him, startling him.

"Hey! What are doing over here?" she yells, looking amused, "Hurry up! We have to surprise the birthday boy!" The red-haired girl took him by the arm. "C'mon! Emily, Sam and Cathy all want to meet you!"

Anxiously, Edd allowed himself to be dragged over to a table where three girls sat. He opened his mouth to introduce himself, but was silenced by Kylie doing it for him.

"Girls, this is Eddward," she presented with a smile.

"Ah! So you're the guy that she was talking about today!" A blonde girl turned to him curiously "I'm Emily." She pointed to the other two, "That one on the left is Samantha and the other is Catheryn."

"It's a pleasure to meet you…" He shook hands shyly before looking down in embarrassment.

He cursed his shyness; he'd always been awkward around girls he knew, let alone with the unknown. After a few moments of conversation where they got to know each other, Emily stood up from her chair.

"Wait here," she instructed, "I'm going to go get the cake for the birthday boy before he arrives and starts his shift."

They watched her turn and head for a door to a private hall. Edd, who was more intrigued about this person, decided now would be as good a time as any to gather some information.

"So…what's this person's job?" he asked, "Can you tell me something about him?

Kylie turned to him; "He's bouncer here! He's a pretty funny guy, but sometimes he acts like a jerk. I don't think I've ever seen him take something seriously."

Emily reappeared with the cake in hand. Set on top were twenty-six candles.

She yelled to Edd and Kylie trying to be noticed; "Well, as usual he's late!" She set the dessert on the table among their drinks. "But he should be here soon."

The music filled the room and the nauseating smell of smoke and alcohol was making Edd dizzy. He would much rather be in a nice, quiet place. He simply couldn't handle all this noise after a quarter of an hour.

Suddenly they heard the back door slam, making some of them jump.

"Hey! I think that's him!" Sam scoffed.

She seemed to be the most impatient member of the group. Edd grimaced. The guy must be incredibly loud and obnoxious if they could hear him over the loud music. The girls saw the figure of the man approach them, drawing Sam and Cathy to stand up. The man stood in front of them amused. Before they could speak, he stopped them with a chuckle.

"Aw you wanted to surprise me?" he sneered, "Too bad I saw that coming…I'll take some of that cake, though."

The girls snorted. What a fine way to show gratuity for their hard work. They all cast him angry looks, aggravated over his behavior.

"We can never get anything done with you! " Cathy yelled moving her hands.

Amongst the angry girls, it was Eddward who was most upset. The long-haired boy couldn't believe his own eyes. It was a most absurd and jarring coincidence, he hopes. Chills accost him as he notices the man looking at him weirdly.

It was Matthew.

Again.

Eddy's brother stood in front of him. He was the 'birthday boy' the girls had been talking about.

"Hehe…Is this the surprise you were talkin' about?" the man burst in a vulgar laugh before speaking again, "Well, well, Princess…" His tone sounded amused and surprised at the same time. "So you're here to celebrate my birthday too? Gotta hand it to you, girls. You were actually able to surprise me…"

"Wait, am I missing something?" Kyle turned to Edd with an interrogative look and tone. "Do you two know each other?!"

The other girls shared a look before turning their confused faces to the long haired boy.

The man chuckled; "Of course I know him! Pretty crazy coincidence, huh girlfriend?"

The biting sarcasm in his voice had Edd staring at him fearfully. He wasn't sure how to react in a situation such as this. He had a sudden, intense desire to escape from there.

"So Princess," the man continued, grinning, "what are doing here? You aren't exactly the type a person who'd like to hang out in clubs like this."

Edd was in total panic, but tried to explain himself.

"Ehm…I-I…Kylie invited me…" he replied shakily, "A-And…I d-didn't realize you were the person celebrating a birthday…"

Sam put an arm around his shoulders, interrupting him; "Relax! He isn't going to eat you or anything!"

The girls burst into laughter at Edd's behavior. Edd wanted to be angry at them for mocking him, but he knew it wasn't their fault. They couldn't know that Edd had a very, very good reason to be afraid of this man. They had no idea who really Matthew was. Their friendship with him was merely superficial. Of that, the boy is certain. Emily, Kylie and the other girls ran after him because he could grant them free entry into the club. Or perhaps it was because he was a good-looking man.

Edd decided to pretend he hadn't just had that thought run through his mind. He shook his head a bit to clear his mind in an effort to return to his earlier train of thought. The girls would have no idea about the man's true nature. He must act very differently with them than he did around the kids of cul-de-sac.

The man's scoff brought him from his thoughts.

"Aww…he's afraid of me?" he pouted in a tone of mock innocence, "That's a shame…I can't imagine why, though…"

The girls shared a sympathetic groan and glanced at Edd curiously. With their eyes off of him, Matthew cast a predatory grin at the boy in front of him. With a shiver, Edd looked away. He hated that smile…The memories of that day slipped into Edd's mind and gripped him with fear.

It was only the beginning…

The beginning of a lot of trouble.


	6. Clumsiness

Note:

I'm really late with this chapter but I was busy with school stuff ç:ç I'm sorry!

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Edd stood in front of the man, staring him in silence with wide eyes. The girls continued to look over him curiously as they waited for some kind of reaction. However, he found that he couldn't even speak. First the chance meeting at the bar where he worked, now this? What kind of absurd coincidence could this be for these girls to have brought him to the club where Matthew worked, and to celebrate the man's birthday complete with a cake. He could only hope that the man didn't have any strange ideas in his mind. So absorbed in his own thoughts, Edd didn't notice all eyes on him. On Matthew's face appeared, for the umpteenth, a twisted grin and he spoke to Edd in a sarcastic tone.

"Aw look at him!" he mocked, "What's wrong, Princess? Cat got your tongue? Or maybe you're just not happy to see me again?"

The man deliberately emphasized the last part of the question, causing Edd to flinch. Gulping down his anxiety, he tried to calm himself, though with a little success.

"E-Ehm I…I…" he stuttered.

The long haired boy was in a total panic; he didn't know what to say! He couldn't pretend like he was fine with this, but he couldn't try to avoid him entirely. Matthew was an impulsive person and he could act in any way — something the boy already had experience with. He looked away, hand coming to toy with the edge of his hat as he tried to think of something intelligent to tell them that might grant him an escape. He'd had quite enough surprises in the last few months and he wasn't about to let himself fall into a bad situation.

Luck proved to be out of his grasp, though, and his plans were destroyed in seconds.

Matthew, who was obviously amused by the boy's behavior, approached him quickly. In an attempt to keep his distance, Edd moved his arm; hitting some drinks on the table and overthrowing them. Most of the alcoholic beverages ended up on Matthew's shirt, soaking him. Edd cursed his own clumsiness. It had always been so, but when in a panic, it would become so much worse. It all this happened in a matter of seconds and, as a result, Matthew started yelling in his irritation.

"Fuck!" he cursed, "I just changed, dammit! I fuckin' told you, Princess. You're clumsy as hell! How the fuck do you still have a job? I can't even imagine what damage you cause when you work as a waiter!"

Matthew tried to clean himself up, but his t-shirt was still impregnated with the smell of alcohol. Edd wished to bury himself alive in his shame. He blushed deeply and tried to excuse himself to the man like he would with everyone.

"Oh-Oh my!" he stuttered, "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…"

He began babbling incoherently. For a moment, the man just watched him. The irritated look that had overtaken his visage began to ebb as he sighed. Matthew interrupted the boy, putting a finger to his lips.

"Jeez, don't worry, Princess," he said in a strangely quiet tone, "I have some spare clothes in the private room."

The four girls looked at each other doubtfully. Eddy's brother was not the type of guy who calmed so easily. The girls too were aware of this, even if their 'friendship' with the man was fake. Edd, meanwhile, stood silent, blushing at the pet name Matthew insisting on using for him. He watched as the man headed the private room, seeing him stop before he could reach it and glance back at the long haired boy with an amused grin. Edd frowned as the man turned his attention back to the room where he kept his spare clothes. The boy couldn't understand the man's behavior. Sam turned to Edd, eyes wide. She, like the others, was obviously surprised by Matthew's odd behavior.

"Wow…Matt usually gets angry really easy with people…" she mused aloud, "I've never seen him hold back like that. Heh…probably likes you."

The dark-haired girl cast a smirk at the other girls, who shared the amused look at her words. Edd's heart skipped a beat as soon as the words left Sam's lips.

"What?!" he gasped, disconcerted and nervous, "Wh-why on earth would you think that?! It can't be! Absolutely impossible!"

"Jeez, calm down dude," Kylie scoffed, "We already told you; he isn't going to eat you." She donned a mischievous look on her face. "By the way, can we call you Princess too? That's so cute!"

The girls giggled, amused. Edd tugged at the edges of his hat, his face burning in shame.

"Absolutely not!" Edd yelled in an unusually high-pitched voice.

He grimaced at that; he really couldn't control himself when he was nervous!

"Okay, okay," Cathy shrugged in a mocking tone, "Maybe we should just ask Matt."

Edd looked away. He'd had quite enough and just wanted to get out of there. He searched for a banal excuse to leave without being rude. He couldn't take any more of this. If Eddy were there, he probably would have been frightened as well. And he's sure his friend would warn him to stay away from the man. Even after all these years had passed, and despite the fact that Eddy still cared about his brother, the experience at the amusement park left his friend unable to trust the man.

"My apologies, ladies," he shrugged shyly, "I-I believe it would be best for me to go back to the college now. I'd hate to stay awake all night."

"What?" Sam gawked, crossing her arms, "The real fun hasn't even begun yet!"

"Yeah!" Kylie agreed enthusiastically, "We still have to dance! But before that, I want to say something to Matt. Here, come with me."

"What?" Edd asked, brow furrowed, "Why me?"

"Just c'mon!" she groaned.

The redhead grabbed him, dragging him by the arm in the direction of the private room where Matthew was changing himself. Edd shivered some as he was pulled to the door. He really didn't want to be there. Yet, there he stood in front of the entrance to the room. The door was half-closed and the long-haired boy peaked inside. He was greeted to the sight of the man wearing nothing more than a pair of boxers; apparently the alcohol soiled his pants too, leaving him no other choice than to almost completely. Edd's face flushed crimson, but he couldn't look away.

He hated to admit it, but Eddy's brother was rather attractive. He was pretty brawny and tall; Edd wasn't surprised that he had all those girls after him. Kylie and the others had told him that the man had just turned twenty-six but he looked much more mature to the boy. Something about that didn't convince him at all. If Matthew really had just turned twenty-six that day, then when he and his friends had come to the man in their efforts to escape wrath of the kids from the cul-du-sac, he would've only been eighteen. Edd doubted this; he'd looked so much older then too. He kept staring at the man, lost in his own thoughts, before the red-haired girl patted his shoulder to bring him back to reality.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked, frowning, "Why don't you go in instead of spying through the door?"

"Eh…he's still changi—" the boy stuttered before interrupting himself, "Hey! I-I was not spying."

"Ooh!" the girl giggled, "You were! Ah! That's too funny! You like spying on people through doors…"

Edd's eyes widened, his face beet red.

"Th-That's absurd!" he protested, "To suggest I would do something so blatantly inappropriate!"

Edd continued stumbling over his words, trying to explain himself. But it was no use; he'd been caught. Even so, he didn't want seem like a pervert; it was so unlike him.

"Never mind, Edd," Kylie said rolling her eyes.

She didn't feel like arguing about it anyway; she was certain she already knew what type of guy Edd really was. After a moment, the door opened, indicating that the man had noticed their presence.

"What the hell are you two doing?" he sneered. He glanced at Edd, casting him that same amused look. "What's all this, Princess? You spying on me behind the door?" He leaned in close to him. "Am I just that interesting a guy?"

A shudder passed over the boy as Matthew winked at him. He frowned, standing back and watching the figure of the man walking towards the tables.

"So?" Kylie nudged at the boy next to her, "Shall we dance?"

Edd gave her a questioning look; "I thought you were going to ask him something?"

"It can wait," she shrugged, "C'mon, let's dance!"

"I'm afraid I must politely decline," Edd mumbled shyly, "I can't really dance. I'd prefer not to, thank you."

"Aw come on!" she whined, grabbing his arm, "Do you really think that everyone here can really 'dance'? It's just for fun!"

"Hey wai—" Edd tried to protest as he was dragged onto the dance floor.

His struggling proved all for naught as Kylie dragged him into the middle of the dancing crowd; wildly moving to a disco song. He looked around, almost dizzy from the deafening music that echoed in his head. He had been to a disco a few times before, but every time he'd been able to avoid the dance floor.

Until now.

Kylie started moving together with the other girls and Matthew, it seemed, had disappeared for the moment. Edd looked around for him anxiously, but was unable to find him again. The long-haired boy nervously started to follow the rhythm, trying desperately to imitate all the people around him. The girls had so much confidence with their dancing…But, then again, it was hard to say how many times they had been in that club. They were also under the influence of alcohol, judging by their attitude and all the drinks he saw on their table. Edd was visibly intimidated by comparison. He noticed the girls moving to the right side of the dance floor. Self-consciously, he decided to follow. If he had to be there, he decided that he would not be alone.

Emily was gesticulating to the others in her efforts to express herself over the music. Kylie, Sam and Cathy nodded before disappearing into the crowd, abandoning the boy. Edd frowned at that and looked around desperately for them. After a while, however, he saw them climbing onto some kind of little stage. The red-haired girl waved at him before bringing her attention back to the girls. Edd stood there, dumbfounded; asking himself why they — especially Kylie — had left him alone on the dance floor like that.

Unfortunately, he had something much more pressing to worry about.

A gasp caught itself in Edd's chest as he felt someone grabbing him from behind. With wide eyes, he whirled around to face his assailant. A pair of intrigued eyes were on him, gazing at him curiously.


	7. Blurry vision

Hello people! Yeah I'm still alive, I was just busy with school and I had no ispiration for a while ç:ç

* * *

In the middle of the dance floor, the long-haired boy felt trapped. He had a bad presentiment of what would happen next and a foreboding thought came to his mind. When he turned, a completely new face was looking over him. He gave a sigh of relief, reassured after realizing it wasn't Matthew. He'd definitely prefer an unfamiliar person than Eddy's brother chasing him up. Edd took one step back, intimidated by the situation. It was still awkward, after all, for him to have a complete stranger grabbing him like that.

"E-Excuse me, um…wh-who are you?" he asked trying to be heard over the loud music.

The stranger stared at him, sizing him up, it seemed, and combed his fingers through his blonde hair.

"Oh, uh…Sorry…" he chuckled, "I uh…I'm Jordan. I saw you talking with Matthew earlier and I heard that you've known him for a while. What's your name?"

Uneasily, Edd took another step back; "I…I'm Eddward…And, yes, actually; that's true. I met him years ago."

Edd was vague about the revelation; unable to give any other details.

"How many years?" Jordan smiled, trying to approach him and keep things casual.

"Um, six, I believe…but we didn't see much of each other." Edd answered, fidgeting.

He started playing with a yellow bracelet on his left wrist. It had been a gift from Eddy and he'd worn it since he was thirteen. Although it was nothing more than a colorful bracelet, Edd cherished it. It was a dear thing that could keep them bound despite their distance.

"Hey, you want to get something to drink?" Jordan asked with a charming grin, "So we can get to know each better?"

Edd hesitated. The mysterious guy didn't convince him, but he was acting kindly. Obviously, he also had no idea what to tell him as an excuse to get out of it. At least, he supposed, it was a better prospect than staying there all by himself, looking like a fool with people dancing all around him.

"Okay…" he shrugged.

Jordan nodded to follow him through the crowd. Biting his lip, Edd followed. The two sat at a table not too far from the girls'. The blonde's gaze was all over Edd and carefully followed every move the long-haired boy made.

"I'll order our drinks," Jordan offered, "There's an amazing mint cocktail you should try."

"Is it alcoholic?" Edd questioned anxiously, "I'm not one to partake in the consumption of alcoholic substances…"

It was true, he'd only ever tried a few beers or wine — at the pressure from his friends — but never anything stronger.

"Oh come on!" Jordan pouted, "Just this once. I'll even pay for you."

He winked in Edd's direction and stood before the younger boy could protest. Helplessly, Edd watched the other man step to the bar counter to order. The long-haired boy frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and looking thoughtful. Why was everyone acting like this with him? At least with his friends, he had been able to resist most times. However, Edd believed that maybe just trying the beverage wouldn't hurt. After all, he was eighteen and most of his peers have already tried these so-called 'super-alcoholics' before even before this — despite it being illegal. Even Eddy…

Jordan was being kind and he couldn't renege himself right now. The blonde returned to the table after a moment with a glass full of a greenish alcoholic liquid; the mint cocktail on the rocks. He handed the drink to the long haired boy, who hesitantly held it on his lips.

Not even two or three sips later, Edd began feeling weird. Perhaps it was because his body was unaccustomed to the alcohol. A few minutes passed and all the sounds around him became padded and confusing. Meanwhile, Jordan was still sitting in front of him, talking continuously. However, Edd found he barely understood what he the other man saying. His sight became increasingly blurry and his breath was heavy with bursts of heat. He never would have thought that a simple drink could cause all these odd side effects. Most of his peers drank a lot and, despite having the typical hangover issues, they never complained of similar symptoms to what he was experiencing now.

His head began to spin and it felt heavy. He had to hold himself up on the table so as not to collapse after a while; his arms felt weak and his legs were like jelly. His vision was increasingly fuzzy and the music echoed in his head, making it even more aching. The surroundings were sweltering and oppressive. The long haired boy tried to gulp once or twice in an attempt to quench his burning throat and also tried to take a few deep breaths without any success.

He didn't know if Jordan understood what he was going through in that moment. The darkness of the nightclub, accompanied with the blinding lights didn't allow him to clearly see the expression on the face of the blonde in front of him. All of his mental confusion also would not allow him to worry about his condition. All he could focus on was the thought that taking a deep breath would feel amazing.

Blinking a few times, Edd laid the palm of his hand on the table to lift himself up. Jordan glanced at him but said nothing. The long-haired boy forced himself to talk in a feeble voice.

"I…I'm going outside f…" he licked his lips through his stuttering, trying to steady himself, "For a while…I don't…I don't feel well."

Every word sounded hoarse and weak, even to his own overstimulated ears. The blonde nodded, watching as Edd turned slowly and walked unsteadily to the exit. The boy's uneasy steps brought a smile to his face.

Everything was working out just right.


	8. Dangerous situation

CHAPTER 8

Edd reached the exit unsteadily, hoping the fresh air would make him feel him better. He leaned against the door frame, looking around for a place to sit but finding nothing. In his desperation, he decided he had to move away; he couldn't stay there. Even if there weren't many people around, he didn't want to give anyone the wrong idea about his current state. Taking a deep breath, he tried to stand without falling.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed a group of girls staring at him suspiciously. He sighed weakly. Obviously, his efforts were for naught. For sure, the long haired boy wasn't making a good impression. Perhaps they thought he was some drug or alcohol addict who was roaming in the streets? Though Edd couldn't look himself in the mirror, he knew he didn't look well.

Making a huge effort, he tried to move. His hand still rested on the door as his head spun viciously. Again he saw, out of the corner of his eye, the group of ladies edging away from the scene with alarm. Edd reluctantly believed it to be for the best.

There was no one around who could help him anyway…

The cold air on his face was only making him feel even worse. He gulped, totally disheartened as his vision blurred. His legs gave in under his weight. With the little conscious thought he still had, he expected to faint and collapse on the ground. However, he felt someone grabbing him in time.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Edd raised his head at the familiar voice. Turning his head, he realized it was Jordan. Despite all his senses being altered, Edd could tell that the tone sounded mocking and fake.

"I…I don't…f-feel very…very well…" the long-haired boy murmured in a feeble voice, "I…I'm going to…"

"Ya know, I noticed you seem to be a little off," Jordan kept his eyes on him, "Come with me…"

Edd clung to him desperately. He didn't have any choice. Holding Edd up, the blonde began leading him away. The weaker boy didn't recognize his surroundings at all and there was no one around. He wasn't able to go anywhere alone now anyway. He was literally forced to trust this man.

"J-Jordan…" the boy mumbled, almost gasping, "P-Please. Where…Where are we g-going?"

"You'll see it, sweetheart," the blonde answered, holding him tighter.

"Wha…What?" Edd breathed, dumbfounded, his green eyes wide.

He began to suspect something was wrong, but he wanted to believe that he had misunderstood. Perhaps it was a joke, caused on his own mind?

After about a minute, they stopped in a dark, secluded area that was completely deserted. By now, Edd felt worse than before and tried to move away from the vaguely suspicious situation. Jordan grabbed him more firmly and held him to himself. Edd winced, putting his hands on the man's shoulders to push away from him, but without any success. The grip the man had on him was too tight and he could barely move. He felt himself being pushed against the wall and the blonde blocking his wrists behind him. Shutting his eyes tight, he fought to move.

"J-Jordan…!" Edd whimpered in shock. He barely had a voice to speak the words. He couldn't even scream for help. "Wh-What are you—?"

He felt the blonde's lips against his nape and his eyes widened again. The long haired boy was completely powerless; every ounce energy in his body.

"P-Please…" Edd begged in a whimpering voice, "S-Stop…"

He shook his head in a pathetic attempt to hinder the blonde but he quickly felt a rough hand grabbing his pale face.

Don't fuckin' move!" the man growled, "Don't you fuckin' dare."

Jordan's gaze became wicked. Realization settled upon the younger boy. Edd panted, petrified. His naivety had led him into a truly dangerous situation. After a few seconds he felt the man's frozen hand leaving his face, only to slip under his blue sweatshirt and caress the skin of his chest. They swiftly came up to his delicate nipples.

"P-Please…" Edd sobbed, sounding desperate, "S-Someone…H-Help…"

He wasn't even able to effectively call for help. Jordan's teeth sunk into his neck, drawing Edd to squeeze his eyes shut. The blonde crossed over his neck with his filthy mouth, kissing and biting every inch of skin on his way until he reached the boy's ear.

"You aren't going anywhere" he hissed, "Nobody can hear you here."

A shiver ran down Edd's back. He sobbed pitifully as the man chuckled, his breath hot on the boy's skin.

"You're in my hands now."

Matthew prowled though the disco, his glancing over the crowd. His eyes scanned the faces, but there was no trace of the person he was looking for. Technically, he was still doing his job. After all, he had to be sure no one was starting any brawls or messing around. He spotted Emily, Kylie and the other girls on a little stage surrounded with bright lights and quickly approached them. He put his hand on Kylie's shoulder to get her attention.

"Hey!" he called over the music, his tone a mix between irritation and irony, "Any of you girls know where Sockhead Princess ran off to? I can't find him anywhere!"

"He's fine!" Kylie answered, smiling at his question as though it were obvious, "We left him on the dance floor over half an hour ago. I'm pretty sure he's old enough to handle that, right?"

Matthew grimaced a bit at her nonchalant response.

"There's no trace of him anywhere," he informed them, "I'd been searching till now. I figured since he came with you girls, you'd have given enough of a shit to keep an eye on him…"

"Aw what's wrong?" Sam cooed, her brow arched in amusement as she chose to ignore the latter comment, "You aren't 'worried' about him, are you?"

"Aw Matt!" Emily burst into laughter along with the other ladies, "You can be so sweet!"

The man glared at them as they laughed. Obviously none of these girls knew that he was anything than 'sweet.'

"Look, I don't want him getting lost in here," he grinned a bit, "After all, he never comes into sleazy places like this."

In truth, he didn't know that for sure but he certainly knew about that type of guy.

Suddenly, Cathy spoke up.

"Oh now I remember!" she cried, "I saw him with another guy. They went alone to one of the tables."

"That seems a little weird…" Kylie noticed, "Are you sure about that? He told us he'd never been here and by the way he acted, he's too shy to 'know' anyone."

Cathy nodded pretty convinced. Matthew cocked his brow, curious.

"Who was the guy?" he asked, hoping the girl could provide him some details.

"I only saw him from a distance and personally I don't know him," she explained, "I think he was blonde, tall and…he looked kinda young."

The girl sounded skeptical about what she was saying. Because of the lighting and confusion around them, she hadn't been paying a lot of attention.

"Blonde?" Matthew was suddenly alert, as though alarmed like it was a familiar thing.

"Um…yeah, I think…" Cathy was taken aback by the change in the man's expression, "Why?"

The other girls looked at each other, unsure about the man's strange behavior. Matthew expression grew dark as he glanced around, distracted.

"I have to go," the man waved them off before adding with a growl, "Enjoy your fucking night."

With that, he walked away, his steps quick as he left the four girls behind him totally perplexed. Matthew left the club with focused look on his face. He had a bad feeling about the guy Cathy described. Certainly, he could be anyone and the man could be concerned for nothing. However, Matthew was sure, among other things, that he had to find the long haired boy.


	9. Dark alleyway

AUTHOR'S NOTE (PLEASE GIVE A LOOK!) :

I'm so late with the update but I was busy and the translating thing takes more time. Also, I know the pace is "slow" but I wanted all the story to make sense. The BroEdd stuff will come really soon! Keep reading and maybe leave a comment if you want.

This chapter contains sexual assaults, bad language and violence.

* * *

CHAPTER 9:

The long haired boy squeezed his eyes tightly, hoping it was all just a nightmare. Unlucky for him, it wasn't.

Before he could register what was happening, he felt the man unzip his pants and slip his dirty hands into his boxers. Edd whined, completely aghast for his situation. He clenched his teeth to keep himself from crying. He didn't want to give Jordan the satisfaction to see him shedding tears. Licking his filthy lips, the blonde started to kiss and bite over every inch of skin he could see. He took his hand from the boy's underwear and began to grope his thighs, his grip tightening more.

Edd was in total panic. His inability to move was killing him inside. He could feel the guy against him, continuing the rude and perverse treatment on his fragile body. The pants and the moans escaping from his mouth were making Edd that much more distressed.

"P-please s-stop…" he whimpered.

His pathetic supplications didn't have the slightest affect on the man behind him; he had no intention of leaving him alone. Jordan had planned everything after seeing him in the club deciding that he couldn't miss an opportunity like that. Approaching him gently and taking advantage of the boy's naivety, it had been easy for him to poison the damn drink. Now he had what he wanted.

"Shh baby…" Jordan whispered in his ear, biting his lobe, "You'll like it for sure."

The blonde didn't pull himself away, even for a second. Several minutes passed, but, for the long haired boy, it seemed like hours. Hot tears escaped the long haired boy's green eyes and slipped down his cheeks as he began to sob uncontrollably. He couldn't stand it anymore, the panic was too much for him to pay attention to his actions. With what little clarity he still had, he cursed his own naivety. It wasn't the first time he'd taken disadvantage from it. However, he knows that this night was the worst mess he'd ever gotten himself into. Jordan lowered his jeans and his boxers roughly, gripping his thighs without restraint, his nails scratched his delicate skin and his teeth tortured his neck without mercy.

"N-no please!" Edd begged, his voice trembling as his words slipped past his lips feebly, "Stop this! I…I beg you…please!"

It didn't matter what he said. His words were totally useless. He had no choice but to stay there, undergoing the torment. Even if he had the strength to react and a complete clear mind, he still wouldn't be able to do anything. The long haired boy lost all hope, knowing well what this sex maniac was planning to do. He shouldn't have listened to the red haired girl who'd brought him here. There was a reason he always avoided those kind of places.

He felt the blonde's hand grabbing his member, distracting him from his thoughts. Edd noticed that his hands were free from Jordan's grip. Despite the little strength he had, a frenzy took over him and he started to fuss. The long haired boy was still crushed against the wall and he couldn't make drastic moves. He attempted to shift and shake away his torturer without success. With a stroke, Jordan pulled him against the wall again.

"I thought I told you sweetheart, don't move!" The blonde boy yelled tight-lipped.

Edd couldn't bear it anymore, taken by his restlessness. He managed to turn himself around, trying to push the blonde away again. He felt a cold hand clasping his left wrist, a slap hit his pale face almost making him fall on the ground. The long haired boy was yanked towards the blonde's body, who quickly put an arm behind his back to keep Edd in place.

"The hell do you think you're doing?!" the man demanded, "Do you really think you can escape from me?"

The threatening tone of Jordan's voice made Edd's shiver. Digging his nails ing the skin of the boy's back, the blonde kept a gloomy gaze upon him. Edd gulped, petrified. He felt it better not to respond, realizing the very real possibility that the guy could be armed and attack him at any time.

"ANSWER ME!" Jordan started shaking him as though he were some toy, "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?"

Savagely, the blonde grabbed him again at his shoulders and slammed him on the wall. The long haired boy moaned from the pain. The crazed man was on him immediately, looking like a wild animal as he held the boy's wrists over his head.

"You're just a lil' whore," the man snarled, biting at his neck, "There's nobody here who can help a little slut like you. You're in my hands now, baby."

Edd wished to counter his words, to fight back and call for help. However, he also realized that he couldn't if he didn't want to risk his own life.

"I swear, I'll kill you," the man threatened, "I don't have a problem with it at all, sweetie."

Edd flinched; now he had confirmation of his earlier suspicions. This psycho had probably brought some form of weaponry with him. Jordan let go his wrists and slid his dirty hands on the boy's chest. He started again to bite and lick the pale skin under his lips without mercy and grabbing his hips. Gripping them firmly, he turned the boy around again. Edd whimpered, sure that there was no escape. Nobody could help him.

At least, so he thought…

* * *

Matthew walked from the club without caring of his duty. He should stay inside, but there wasn't any sign of the person he was looking for. Leaving for a few minutes would surely not result in a dismissal; the man had always done his job well.

The cold breeze hit him quickly and he cursed. He'd only worn a light jacket. He really should dress himself more appropriately for the weather, if he didn't want to catch a cold. However, that thought is in the far reaches of his mind as more pressing matters make themselves known; he had to find that kid. Now.

He glanced around for some clue of where he might have wandered off to without success. Surely he didn't venture alone. As far as the man could gather, Edd barely knew the areas near his college, let alone such treacherous areas were the club was located. Matthew grimaced, taking a chance down the path to his left.

When Cathy had told him that she saw the boy with some strange blonde guy he'd grown suspicious. From what little he knew about the kid, Edd wasn't the type who would hit on people easily - hell, he could barely introduce himself to some people without stumbling over his words. When he had been in the club, he'd seen the way Edd held himself. He was uncomfortable in the unknown environment. It stands to reason he wouldn't just wander around with that discomfort hanging over him.

The man cursed again. He didn't know where to look. If the blonde was really the creep Matthew was thinking of, Edd could be anywhere. He'd seen him a few times at the club. The guy would prowl around a lot and didn't have a good reputation in the least. Obviously, though, the long haired boy couldn't know about that. He grimaced as he noted that the girls could have mentioned something about it, though.

He turned around to a dark alleyway, the most detached area of the club zone.

Maybe down here…Matthew thought.

It seemed inane. Even the man himself tended to avoid that area. However, if Edd was indeed with that creep, he had to take a look. Briskly, he stalked towards the somber footpath, glancing around at his surroundings. It was pretty gloomy, but the man still could see clearly. After surpassing a few rubbish bins, he noticed something on the ground that drew his attention. On the ground, in the middle of the path, there was a yellow object, sharply contrasted by its surroundings.

Matthew approached it, realizing that it was a wristband. It was a flimsy trinket - one of those kiddy souvenirs one would find selling in machines for a quarter or in register lines for a few pennies. The thing looked strangely familiar. The man was sure he'd seen it somewhere. Taking it in his fingers, he examined it. After a minute, it occurred to him just where he'd seen it. Hanging loosely on the wrist of a lanky teenager.

It was Edd's.

He'd been wearing it at the club, playing with it anxiously. It must have slipped off his wrist. Even though the light in the club had been dull, the man could make out the dull yellow color of the wristband and the cloth covering it. Holding the bracelet in his hand, Matthew stood straight and continued his investigation. He wasn't wrong; Edd was really there somewhere and he had to find him, especially if the long haired boy was the creep.

As he advanced along the path, he noticed that the place was becoming more secluded than he'd initially thought. He could meet just about anyone there. Drug dealers, muggers, murderers - anyone of ill-repute. The police station was far away from this place. It's this fact that made the man realize he was risking quite a lot. However, he couldn't stop now. Matthew had to do something. After all, it was his job to watch out for the patrons of the club. He had to admit, there was a good opportunity for him to achieve something else as well.

Suddenly, the man heard shouting from a corner, distracting him from his thoughts.

"Shut the fuck up!" a voice growled somewhere close, "Shut your fucking mouth if you don't want me to really hurt you."

"P-Please stop!" Another broken voice reached Matthew's ears, "N-no! Don't!"

It certainly wasn't the other male's voice. This one was far more familiar and it sounded desperate. There was no doubt in his mind.

It was Edd.

It took seconds for the man to recognize him. He turned around some, searching for the source of the sound.

"Stay calm, sweetie," the first voice was sounding aggressive and persuasive, but the tone was way too low to comprehend who was speaking, "I'm sure you'll appreciate it a lot."

A thought came in Matthew's mind that had him stopping in his tracks. The last time he'd had to deal with the creep was months ago, but recognizing him wasn't difficult at all. The man didn't need to search blindly, using logic was better. Lingering, the man glanced around again. He had to be careful. From what he heard, Princess wasn't in a great situation. The two seemed to be pretty close to him, but he couldn't pinpoint where. The voices kept ringing out in his ears.

"N-no! P-please help!"

The only positive thing of the situation for the long haired boy was that he had regained his voice and could shout for help. He began following Edd's pleads.

"Shut up!" The blonde yelled threateningly, putting a hand on his mouth, "You're still not getting it, are you? If you don't shut the hell up and stop moving I'll fucking kill you!"

Matthew grimaced as he followed the direction of their voices, moving faster as their voices grew louder. All his concerns were founded. Trying to be careful and quiet as possible, he drew closer. If he didn't hurry, the worst would surely happen.


	10. Don't worry, Princess

CHAPTER 10:

As Matthew drew ever closer, Edd's voice grew louder. Carefully, he turned the corner of the alleyway, studying the darkness around him. The man knew well how to defend himself, but he could expect just about anything from Jordan. It didn't take long before they finally came into his line of sight. He stopped several feet away, feeling paralyzed at the sight that greeted him. That of the long haired boy, trapped against the wall and half-undressed. The blond stood behind the boy, keeping him blocked in and offering no escape. The wretched younger boy was still screaming despite his torturer's threats.

"Help! Help me, please!" Edd sobbed. He knew that the risk he was facing was too big, but now that his voice was starting to return, he had to take advantage of it.

"Shut up, you fucking cunt!" Jordan yelled at him.

Tired of his behavior, the older man reached into his jacket pocket in search of his knife. Seeing the blonde poking around in one of his pockets was enough to snap Matthew from his daze. His eyes narrowed as he quickly approached them, trying to be as silent as possible. Neither Edd nor Jordan seemed to notice him until he grabbed Jordan's arm in a vice grip. The blonde winced and whipped around angrily. That quickly turned to shock when he caught sight of Matthew standing over him. Edd's green eyes grew wide when he too noticed the man. He watched in awe as Matthew twisted Jordan's arm sharply behind his back before shoving him away.

The other man fell on the ground, trying to land on his hands to avoid getting hurt from the crash. Meanwhile, Matthew gave a quick glance back at a confused Edd who had collapsed to the ground. He was still leaning against the wall, completely petrified, but his screaming had diminished to pitiful whimpers. Just to have relief from his abuser's touch was enough to calm him slightly. As soon as he saw that the eighteen year old boy wasn't wounded, Matthew brought his attention back to the molester.

Jordan scrambled to his feet, revealing the knife and preparing to attack the other man. Unsteadily, he lunged at Matthew, who firmly and effortlessly gripped his wrist. Jordan hardly knew what was happening. Matthew knocked the weapon from his hand before throwing a strong punch to the blonde's jaw.

Edd's trembling began to escalate at the sight of blood coming from the blonde's mouth. He wanted to call the police, but, unfortunately, he had no idea where his phone could be. He had a bad feeling he may have left it back at the club. While Jordan lay, dazed, Matthew grabbed his collar and dragged him up roughly.

"Son of a bitch," he snarled, "I suggest you get the fuck outta here. I don't wanna see your face for the rest of the night or in that club ever again, dammit. As of now, you're fuckin' banned!" The man shook the blonde before threatening him again "Do you fuckin' understand me?! The next time I see you anywhere near here, I'll beat the living shit out of you."

Jordan nodded without resisting. He had no hope of defending himself against a man like Matthew. The man worked as a bouncer and had to deal with people like him almost every week. In such situations, it was hard for most people to stay calm but for Matthew this was hardly a problem. Before he could realize, the man had kneed the molester in the stomach, leaving him completely breathless and crumbling to his knees. The blonde bent over on himself, moaning in pain and coughing up a bit more blood.

Satisfied, Matthew turned his attention to Edd, who observed the scene in shock. What he saw with his own eyes was the very last thing he would have ever expected. He blinked, gazing up at the man. He had so many questions for him, but found he could barely speak.

"You alright there, kid?" the man asked as he approached the boy, who still sat on the ground with his back against the wall.

"E-ehm…Y-yeah," Edd mumbled feebly, "I'm not…not injured…f-fortunately."

The drug that psychopath had put in his drink hadn't lost its effect yet. His head was still spinning and he still felt terribly dizzy. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jordan getting up and running away as fast as he could. Matthew looked Edd over carefully, trying to comprehend his condition. It didn't take much for him to get an idea of what had happened. It occurred to him that the long-haired boy hadn't come to this place just because of his naivety. That bastard had drugged him — that much was clear. It was a miracle that Jordan wasn't in prison yet, considering all he had done in his life, but Matthew saw no need to call the police. The blonde had gotten the message and wouldn't be returning to the club again — at least not on his watch. It was of no consequence. Sooner or later, he'd pay for everything he'd done.

Suddenly, the long haired boy's lips began shaking as his body became wracked with shivers. The cold was penetrating and reminded him that he was still half-naked. He raised himself up a bit to fix his clothes, trying to cover himself decently. Matthew grimaced at the boy's miserable condition. It was freezing and the risk of getting pneumonia was high. He regards the boy silently for a few moments longer before removing his jacket. Approaching him, he placed the garment over the boy's shaking shoulders. Edd looked at him as though he had a second head, drawing the man to grin at his reaction.

"S'matter?" he asked with a chuckle, "Aren't you cold?"

"W-Well yes, it's just…" Edd was reluctant to answer.

He was clearly surprised by the man's behavior. He couldn't believe it. This man who had humiliated his own brother in front of Edd and the other kids back home and had abused him like it was nothing, had just saved him. It was difficult for Edd to grasp why this man would risk his own life to save the boy from a mentally unstable, sexual deviant. Perhaps it was some sense of duty or because he was Eddy's best friend. The long-haired boy held tightly onto the jacket in an effort to warm himself up. He absolutely had to question the situation.

"H-how did you find me?" He asked, averting his eyes as he changed the subject.

Matthew glanced at him oddly before shrugging.

"Check the right pocket," he replied, motioning to the jacket

The eighteen year old did as the man asked. To his surprise, he found something familiar; his precious yellow wristband given to him by his best friend, Eddy. He passed the object between his fingers, realizing he had played with it on his wrist so much that it had come off. Edd returned his gaze to the man. He opened his mouth to speak; at the very least, he should thank him but he knew it wouldn't be enough.

Instead, Matthew interrupted the silence; "When you disappeared from the club I got suspicious. You don't seem to be the type who'd wander off on his own in a place like that. The girls saw you with that creep, so I came around lookin' for you. Is that so strange?"

The man was careful to avoid using pet names. Humor wasn't the most appropriate response at the moment and he certainly wouldn't gain anything by acting like a jerk. No matter how tempting it was to tease the boy in this moment.

"I-it's…" the long-haired boy had no idea what to say "Honestly I must admit it seems…far-fetched…"

The man shot him a knowing grin.

"Apparently you really had a bad impression of me…" he chuckled in a mockingly innocent tone.

It was obvious that Edd didn't trust him. After everything that happened in the amusement park, it was understandable that Matthew would have lost any semblance of a "good guy" appearance to the boy. After all, what kind of person would treat his own brother like that? The teen sighed, he didn't want to look rude after the favor the man had just done for him.

"No…I-I…" Edd gulped trying to speak clearly.

Unfortunately, the substance that still rushed through his body hindered his speech. Matthew rolled his eyes.

"Forget it," he dismissed, glancing at his surroundings, "It's probably better to get a move on. This place ain't exactly what you'd call 'safe'."

Edd nodded, though he wasn't sure he even had the strength to stand. Placing the palms of his hands on the ground and bending his knees, he attempted to lift himself up without any success. After the second failed endeavor, he sighed. Matthew observed him curiously. That bastard, Jordan, had reduced the boy's limited strength well, apparently. The man approached him and, without saying a word, grabbed his waist. Edd released a surprised squeak as he was lifted from the soil to stand on his feet. Despite just who he was receiving help from, it began to mean little in this moment. He clutched the man's shoulders as he tried to balance himself, trying to ensure he wouldn't collapse. When he felt stable on his own two feet, Edd cleaned his sweatshirt and pants of the dirt with his shaking hands.

"Come on, I'll take you back to the club," Matthew offered.

He placed his arm around the boy, who was still staggering significantly.

"O-okay…" Edd answered in a lingering tone.

Holding Edd up, the man retreated from the alleyway quickly. He wanted to get back to the club as soon as possible. An awkward silence stretched between them. Neither of them wanted to talk about what happened. When they arrived, the long-haired boy realized that he hadn't actually thanked Matthew for everything he had done. They came to a stop near the doors

"E-ehm, th-thank you for helping me…by the way…" Edd spouted, spurring himself on to be cordial as he usually was.

Matthew glanced at him, his icy-blue eyes locking on the green. He smiled; a genuine expression on his face. Those who didn't know him well enough could even call it 'caring'.

"Just doing my job," he answered, an apparent sweetness in his tone.

For the eighteen year old, that simple phrase could mean anything. Sure, keeping rabble away was his job, but he'd actively come looking for him in the middle of winter and in an area full of criminals. Among other things, he'd totally ignored his duty to stay inside of the club, perhaps even risking his job. Also, the man had given him his jacket. Edd wondered what reason the man might have to show these kindnesses to him. Perhaps he'd been too hasty to judge Eddy's brother before? Maybe he wasn't not bad as he'd originally thought?

Matthew's voice snapped him suddenly from his thoughts.

"I guess I gotta bring you back to your college or wherever it is you live," the man noted, removing his phone from his pocket and glancing the illuminated display. He chuckles a bit. "Shit. It's almost two am and freezing." He glances at Edd, examining him. "Bet you wouldn't wanna go back in there tonight…"

Edd's eyes went wide after hearing the time; it was definitely too late. The man was also right about the fact that he didn't want to go back inside. The long-haired boy had no choice, but to accept passage from him.

"D-Don't you have to finish your shift?" he asked, frowning.

Matthew shrugged; "I'll let the owner know I'm takin' a break. I ain't goin' too far and there're other bouncers workin' tonight. By the way, you leave anything at the entrance?"

"Oh…um…y-yes," Edd stuttered, as it occurred to him, "My jacket — a black one on a hanger." He paused as he recalled something else, "A-Also…In one of the pockets, y-you should find my green cellphone."

"Alright, wait here." Matthew turned away for just a moment before pointing at him to exaggerate his next point. "And don't move."

With that, he turned away and re-entered the club. Edd leaned against the wall to wait, sighing. He was exhausted from everything that had happened. Not just physically, of course. It had all been too much for his emotional state, which was shattered to pieces. He felt as though he may burst into tears at any moment. He didn't know what to feel about Matthew coming to assist him. Something about it felt wrong, but the man had thus far given him no reason to distrust him this evening. Previous experience told him not to believe in this behavior, but his circumstance gave him little option. A few minutes passed before, finally, Matthew returned with the garment in his hands.

"This yours?" he asked, holding the jacket up.

"Y-Yes, thank you," Edd nodded.

He removed Matthew's jacket, regretting the action momentarily with the loss of warmth, and handed it back to the man. When his own was placed into his hands, he pulled it on quickly and zipped it up almost frantically in an effort to regain some of his lost warmth.

"Let's go," the man turned, gesturing Edd to follow, "My car's right over here."

He glanced back for a split second and sighed. He was swaying on his feet, drawing him to the conclusion that the eighteen year-old wasn't capable of walking by himself just yet. Matthew put an arm around his waist again, giving him some support on his feet.

"C'mon," Matthew used an encouraging tone, to motivate the younger boy.

Edd still felt dizzy and sick, but he did his best to raise himself up as they walked to the black vehicle. They stepped into the car and Edd wasted no time in fastening his seatbelt. He leaned back in the seat, sighing. Matthew started up the car, revving the engine for a moment before pulling out towards the road. When they'd exited the club district, the man addressed the boy again.

"You're gonna have to tell me where you live," he informed him, eyes held on the street stretched out before him, "I got no idea where the hell your university is."

"I'll give the appropriate directions," Edd answered, giving their surroundings the same attention.

He's distracted for a moment by a vibration from his jacket pocket. Upon retrieving his phone, he discovered it to be a message from Kylie.

[Kylie Stewart: Hey, what the hell happened to you? Are you having 'fun' with someone? ;D You've totally disappeared! Turn yourself up somewhere! :) KyKy]

Edd scoffed after reading it. These girls, Kylie included, made their own business the whole time, completely ignoring him, and now she was pretending to look for him? He bristled a bit in anger. They'd left him alone and completely vulnerable on the dance floor, without a care for his situation. Regardless, the boy had to reply to the message or it may seem suspicious. Therefore, he distracted himself for a while, writing something quickly.

[Salutations! Don't worry, I'm returning to the college dormitory now. It's rather late and I'm afraid I'm quite fatigued. Thank you, though, for your invitation. I'll see you later! Eddward]

Edd knew that it wouldn't make the situation terribly clear, but that was the least of his worries. He'd vanished for a rather long time, but if she was just now acting concerned, he realized there's little point in burdening himself with giving her a more thorough explanation. He'd certainly meet her again. Perhaps then, he'd make her privy to what happened. Now though, he didn't feel like thinking about it.

After some careful navigation from Edd, they arrived at their destination. Matthew stopped in the huge parking lot near the building the boy had indicated..

"Thank you for the ride," he obliges, unfastening his seatbelt.

"Don't worry about it," Matthew retorted, "You think you can make it to your dorm by yourself?"

By now, Edd felt a bit better than he had when they'd left the club. He felt safe in the assumption that he could reach his room in the dormitory without assistance. He nods before opening the car door. Before stepping out, he turned to the man.

"I'm afraid I must demand something of you," he sighed, "I would appreciate greatly if you would avoid divulging the events that have occurred this night to Kylie and the other girls. I…I'd rather not—"

"Don't worry, Princess," Matthew interrupted, glancing at him, "I got no reason to say anything about this to any of them."

Edd nodded in understanding as he stepped out of the car. Shutting the door, he walked around the front of the car to retreat to the dormitory. Before going too far, he stopped and turned back to him.

"I suppose I'll…see you soon, then?" he shrugged.

Matthew grinned, satisfied.

"Sure," he replied, "See you soon."

He watched Edd turn and rush into the building. As he pulled out of the parking lot and made his way back to the club, he reflected on what Edd had said. The way Matthew saw it, it could mean just about anything.


	11. It's my pleasure

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I sincerely apologize for the wait, I was busy in the past week and I had no time. Also, I was drained off with ideas. Hope it's worth it!

CHAPTER 11:

Sunlight shone thought the still closed window into the small room. Though it was relatively late, Edd slept deeply in his bed, exhausted after everything that had happened the night before.

When the boy returned to his dormitory at such an unacceptable hour, he had an unbearable temptation to take a shower but resisted it. He desperately did not want to upset his roommate, but above anything else the teen did not want to give a bad impression. It was a conundrum he wasn't willing to approach in his haggard state.

His appearance was dreadful and while he could express himself it was with great difficulty. He could only imagine that Jayden, his roommate, would have thought that he was some boozer or worse. Therefore, he settled on a weary compromise. He undressed and pulled on his pajamas in the dark and quickly and silently washed his face before slipping under the blue blankets on his bed.

The effect of that filthy liquid that Jordan had put into his drink had made him feel more tired than he'd ever been, but he still found falling asleep to be quite difficult. Memories of what had occurred shortly before tormented him and would not leave him be. He lay awake for hours, unable to stop asking himself why Matthew would act the way he had; over-thinking every last detail. He was just barely able to control himself while having his internal crisis at four in the morning.

With the duvet pulled up to his neck, the long-haired boy had no intention to move from his comfortable spot. Obviously, it was not habitual for him to lie in bed until late — even during the holidays, he would make himself rise at a more reasonable hour — but now the boy had no will to get up. He doubted highly that would even be able to stay on his feet.

His phone's jarring tone rang suddenly, interrupting his blessed sleep and pounding in his ears like a hammer. Edd slowly opened his eyes, debating whether or not to answer. It took a few moments, but social contraction urged him to react. With a sigh, he stretched his hand to the nightstand. Without looking at the screen, he opened the phone and held it to his ear, answering before it could go to voicemail.

"Hello…Eddward 'Double D' speaking…" he spoke wearily.

"Hey, Double-D!" Eddy's voice was grating to his sensitive ears as he greeted him on the other end of the line.

"E-Eddy?" he rubbed his eyes sleepily, hoping to rub away the confusion as well, "My goodness…It's rather unusual to receive a call from you at such an hour don't you think…?"

"The heck are talkin' about?" Eddy gawked, "'Such an hour'? It's almost eleven a.m!"

"Wh-What?!" Edd gasped, "Really?"

"You alright there, Sockhead?" the shorter boy asked with a mock-worrying tone in his voice.

Edd tried to compose himself, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Y-yeah…" he sighed, still confused, "Apologies…I just…I-I hadn't noticed the hour…"

"Woah, wait a sec — were you 'sleeping'?!" Edd could hear the grin in Eddy's voice, but chose to ignore it. "What the hell, Sockhead?! I've never seen you sleep past eight! What'd you do last night?"

Edd fought his irritated groan, choosing to give as few details as possible; "Yes, I was sleeping. I'm afraid I was up very late last night."

"You weren't hittin' the books and doing a ton of homework and shit, were you?" Eddy sneered, "Shit, this university is killing you, Sockhead…"

"You're wrong, Eddy," Edd sighed, annoyed by his friend's insinuations. "I went out last night…"

"'Out'?" Eddy echoed, sounding confused, "Like…'out' out?"

Edd rolled his eyes; "Yes, Eddy; 'out' out. An acquaintance of mine from school asked me to accompany her and several of her friends to a club last night…"

"Woah! Woah!" Eddy cried incredulously, "You went 'clubbing'?! With a bunch of girls?! Holy shit! Where the fuck was this Double D back in the cul-de-sac?!"

The shorter boy began to laugh hysterically, choking on his own words.

"Ha ha, very funny, Eddy…" Edd grumbled.

It may have been because of the circumstances, but his best friend was starting to aggravate him. For obvious reasons, he also really didn't want to stay on the topic for too much longer.

"Aw, c'mon, Double D. I was just joking!" Eddy's laughter died down and he began to take on a more serious tone. "Is everything okay? Did something happen at the club?"

The long haired boy tensed at the memories of Jordan's molesting him and Matthew coming up to rescue him. He couldn't tell Eddy about that. Not when he was still recovering and still trying to collect his thoughts in the first place.

"Uh…N-No," he stuttered, "Nothing. Don't worry about it. What was the nature of your call anyway? Were you merely going to pester me for sleeping in for once?"

"Don't have a bird, Double D," Eddy grumbled. There was a pause on the other end of the line as Eddy muttered something to himself. "Urgh…Whatever, do you work today? You said that you had to—"

Eddy seemed to have been attempting to change the subject of the conversation, but Edd didn't hear it him finish his sentence. He shoved aside the blankets is attention whipped to the clock on the nightstand, moving aside the blankets.

"Oh dear!" he gasped, rising to sit up, "I have to start my shift in an hour! If I don't hurry, I'll be late! I'm terribly sorry, Eddy – Can I call you later? I really can't continue this conversation with you at the moment…"

The shorted boy sighed, but relented.

"Yeah, yeah, sure…" he grumbled, "I'll call ya after dinner. Later, Sockhead."

Edd ended the call and stood quickly from the bed before searching frantically for his clothes. He prepared himself in a hurry. He supposed he should drink or eat something, but his stomach ached and he still felt a bit sick. When the teen was finally ready, he gathered up his belongings and left the room. He hoped deeply that he wouldn't encounter his roommate or anyone from the previous night. He had no intention of explaining the events that took place and he believed it was better if they thought their own business.

Edd's weary body struggled to remain standing. His shift had started not forty-five minutes ago, but his condition had not improved. In fact, he found himself feeling worse and worse. However, the boy forced himself to work despite wanting anything but to stay in the midst of this crowd of people and continue to serve them in his condition. He supposed, though, that the idea of staying locked away in his room – where he would only lie in bed and think about happened – was no better.

The teen sighed, trying to not seem too shaken up; he didn't wanted any questions from anyone about it, after all. The only thing that cheered him up was the thought of being able to speak with Eddy later that evening on the phone. He was anticipating an extensive conversation after the long months of short calls lasting only a few minutes. Of course, some things would have to be omitted in their rapport. Surely he would not speak of Matthew or what Jordan did to him. It was better to avoid such topics. The shorter boy would just be alarmed and on edge if he knew that his brother was around.

Keeping his focus on walking though the tables, the long haired boy eyed the customers at the bar, checking and double checking to see if he had the correct orders. So focused was he on his surroundings, he didn't notice the person following a few steps behind him. It was then that Edd felt something tapping his shoulder repeatedly, drawing him to turn. He jolted upon seeing who it was.

"M-Matthew?" he stuttered, blinking once or twice as he tried to comprehend what the man was doing there. It took a moment for him to realize that, of course, the man had known where he worked for some time now.

"You look surprised to see me," Matthew said, smiling as the boy stepped back unconsciously.

"Ehm…y-yes," Edd shrugged shyly, "I suppose I am. Honestly I wasn't expecting to see you here."

The boy didn't realize just how naive he really was. After all, he was eighteen and still highly intimidated by the man's presence.

"Well, that just means you don't know me at all, Princess," Matthew suggested, his grin widening in amusement when the teen blushed at the pet name. "Anyway, I came to see how you're feelin'. You were pretty wrecked last night…"

Edd shifted uncomfortably on his feet; "Yes, well…I feel a bit better than before, thank you…"

Edd didn't even strive to be convincing in his gloomy, laconic reply. He was lying and it was obvious. Matthew's grin fell as he gave the boy a skeptical look.

"You sure about that, Girlfriend?" he sneered, examining the boy's face and locking his icy-blue eyes with the green of Edd's. "I wouldn't say that, looking the way you do. You're pale as fuck."

The long-haired boy gulped down the knot in his throat, averting his gaze shyly. He unsuccessfully attempted to hide his discomfort. Again, Matthew noticed the teen's despair.

"Why the hell are you even here?" he asked, "Maybe you should you ask for the day off if you're feeling like shit. You don't have to work like that, y'know."

"I need the money," Edd sighed, shrugging, "The less hours I work, the less I'm paid. I'm afraid I don't have much of a choice."

The man observes him for a moment, surveying his physical state.

"Y'know…If you want, I could have a little talk with the owner of this place," he offered, "We know each other pretty well by now. I'm pretty sure he and I can work somethin' out."

Edd stared at him, startled.

"R-Really…?" The tone of his voice and expression on his face reflected his astonishment.

"Sure, no problem," the man shrugged before motioning to a chair near the bar, "Take a seat and I'll be right back."

As the man retreated to the back, Edd uncomfortably sat down. Despite the discomfort, he smiled a bit. He returned to his contemplation of the reasons behind all of these niceties. Perhaps he'd been wrong to judge Eddy's brother so quickly years before. Maybe Matthew was not as he'd once thought and the amusement park episode was an isolated incident?

No, that was impossible. On that day, Eddy had admitted that his brother had abused and manipulated his younger sibling for years. So why be so hospitable and helpful now? It's possible, he considers, that the man had changed. Though Edd wanted to doubt it and consider it too absurd, it seemed to be the only remaining possibility. His mind stopped wandering when he noticed Matthew approaching him again.

"So, Ryan said it's cool as long as you pick up a few more hours next week," the man informed him, "That okay?"

It took Edd a moment to absorb this information and process.

"C-Certainly!" he stuttered when he finally found his voice again, "I can manage that." He sighed softly in relief. "I must say, I've no idea how to thank you. I really didn't feel like working today…"

Truly, in spite of everything he'd perceived about the man, Edd was grateful for what Matthew had done for him. How on earth could he repay him?

"Don't mention it, Princess," the man retorted.

Edd moved towards the break room to retrieve his belongings when the man stopped him.

"Y'know," he purred in a tone Edd found himself unsure how to interpret, "it's almost noon. You wanna grab a bite to eat?"

The long-haired boy considered it for a few seconds, looking skeptical.

"Did you have a location in mind?" he asked.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to dine with the man, but he couldn't see the harm at the moment. All things considered, it would be nice to have lunch with Matthew rather than eat alone.

"There's a little place near this café," the man replied coyly, "We won't even need to reserve a table.

For a moment, Matthew glanced outside before returning his eyes to the boy. After another moment of consideration, Edd answered.

"I suppose that would be acceptable," he shrugged.

Perhaps spending some time with him wouldn't been so bad. Besides that, it wasn't like he had any plans himself. With that, he excused himself to retrieve his belongings.

As they exited, he bid farewell to the rest of the staff, who all wished him a speedy recovery. As they walked, the boy was beginning to feel a bit better. He believed that, by the time they reached this restaurant, he would be able to eat something. Fortunately, despite skipping breakfast, his stomach was beginning to hurt less.

Upon entering the restaurant, Edd observed his surroundings carefully. He had to admit that the man had good taste despite his physical appearance. The room wasn't terribly big but the arrangement of the tables made it very spacious and not suffocating. The windows brightened the space beautifully and the interior design was far from the tawdry scene in the bars and grills where Eddy went on and on about frequenting. Quite the opposite; it was elegant and refined at the right point. As he soaked it all in, the teen asked himself if it was some extravagantly expensive restaurant that he could never afford by himself or if it was simply modest.

The two were led by the hostess to one of the white tables in the middle of the room. After they were seated, they were handed a couple of menus. It was then that Edd made up his mind about the type of restaurant he was in. Though the dishes weren't terribly sophisticated, they all had a high price. He wondered what purpose the man might have had to have brought him here but at the forefront of his worries was how he would pay for his own lunch.

"M-Matthew," he stuttered uneasily. The man glanced at him over his menu, drawing the boy to nearly hide behind his own as he whispered timidly to him. "I…Th-There's no way I can afford this. I don't have a lot of money on my person."

The boy lowered his eyes in shame. It really was humiliating walking into a restaurant and realizing you can't pay for what you intend to eat. By now, the eighteen year old had grown used to the meager food at his university and hadn't even noticed until that moment. He'd never been a spendthrift his whole life.

In front of him, the man merely observed him for a few seconds, brow cocked curiously, before bursting into a belly laugh. Edd blushed, feeling foolish. He glanced around them. A few people were casting confused gazes there way, making the boy draw further in on himself in embarrassment.

As Matthew calmed, he wiped away a few tears that had escaped his eyes from his laughter and focused his attention back to the teen, amused.

"You're a riot, Girlfriend," he chortled, "You really think I expect you to pay?" Edd was startled by that, drawing another laugh fro the man, though much more reserved than the first. "Nah…I know you're broke. If I wanted to make you pay for a meal, I wouldn't have brought you here, Princess."

Edd gawked at the man as Matthew leaned back in his chair, shrugging as he casts the boy a smug look.

"A-Are you joking?" the boy gaped, trying to keep his voice down, but having difficulty, "You've already done far too much for me! You neglected your job — risked getting fired when you left the club to come looking for me, you saved me from some sick pervert who wanted to molest me and who was also armed, thereby endangering your own life, you brought me back to the university, you made me take a day off work…"

He sputters, too shocked to collect himself as he tries not to panic from this overload of thoughts. Matthew rolled his eyes and interrupted the teen before he could further his breakdown.

"Jesus fuck, kid," he sneered, "Quit bein' so damn melodramatic. The way you talk, it's like nobody's ever done anything for you in your miserable life." He scoffs, his eyes casting a leer to his left, his tone turning strangely ironic. "Guess that means Pipsqueak and that big idiot you used to pal around with weren't so 'caring'."

"I-I beg your pardon!" Edd grimaced, "You couldn't be more incorrect. Ed and Eddy are the best friends I've ever had."

There was a trace of irritation in his voice. He couldn't stand to hear someone speak about his dear friends in such a manner, even if they had done some thoughtless things. They were all he had during his childhood and teenage years in general. Not only could he not stand for such talk, he wouldn't stand for it.

Matthew, however, didn't look convinced.

"Sounds more like the opposite to me," he shrugged, "I'll bet Pipsqueak just used you a lot of the time. I can tell you're smart, but you and I both know you can't say the same about them, especially Cheese-boy.

Edd's eyes widened at the man's statement. Over the years, the three boys had created a bond amongst each other, but, as Edd thought about it, he began to wonder if using him may have been Eddy's first intention. The smarter Ed had always been the one who worked on constructing their scams, pranks, and often pulled them out of trouble.

The man noticed the thoughtful look on the boy's face laced with confusion and recomposed himself.

"Look," he sighed, "I ain't implying anything, I'm just sayin' I know Pipsqueak pretty damn well, and I know he ain't a saint."

"I'm aware of that," Edd spoke through his teeth, "Nobody's a saint, but of them are true friends…even if I haven't seen them for months." He bowed his head a bit. "And, with all due respect, you know very little about your brother." He notices a change in Matthew's expression, but cannot place it. "You were never there for him when he was growing up. You may have taught him 'everything you know' — or so Eddy claimed — but you don't know who he became."

"Whatever," Matthew scowled, allowing the matter to drop for the time being, "All that aside, they stayed in Peach Creek while you left for school, right?" Edd's shoulders slump and he nods, looking defeated just at the mention."And I bet you've been pretty lonely recently, haven't you?"

"Well…Yes…" Edd relented, "I'm afraid I don't know anyone except Kylie and the other girls from the club…and I barely know them. I became acquainted with someone but it's considerably different from founding a solid friendship."

The teen's reply was nearly sorrowful as he lowered his gaze again to avoid that cool stare.

"It ain't easy to find an 'honest' friendship," Matthew grumbled, "I'd suggest you forget about those sluts, by the way. They're a bunch of false bitches. You saw how they acted."

Before he could continue, Matthew was interrupted by the waiter of the restaurant who had finally arrived to take their order. Edd looked again to the menu in his hands and decided to choose one of the dishes that appealed to him more, desperately attempting to ignore the prices as he realized that, no matter his choice, it would be expensive.

"I'll have the farfalle with salmon," he spoke before his eyes darted over the menu again as he considers the other options for a few moments more, "Aaaaand for the mixed fried vegetables with cutlet."

"Hmm…" Matthew chuckled a bit, observing him carefully. "You have a good taste, Princess…" He glanced at the waiter. "I'll take the same. Oh, and add two slices of mille-feuille cake for dessert."

When Matthew's eyes returned to Edd, he shot the boy a wink, making him blush for the umpteenth time. The waiter jotted down their orders quickly and collected their menus before walking away, assuring them he'll have their food out soon. When they were alone again, the man continued his argument about the girls.

"Anyway, as I was saying," he continued, "don't trust those bitches. As far as I'm concerned, it's better to forget about having anything to do with them. They only wanna hang around you for some sick interest."

"Yes, I think I know what you mean," Edd sighed, "I'll most likely follow your advice, seeing as I don't trust lowlife people in…general…" Edd allowed the sentence to fade upon realizing that he could have offended the man. After all, Matthew suited that description perfectly. As long as Edd could remember, he'd never been a good guy.

To the boy's surprise and slight relief, the man was grinning, amused at his claim; he appeared anything but offended. He laughed low in his chest.

"Still got that spunk…" he purred.

Edd shrank in on himself slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable under his gaze. For several minutes, they chatted absentmindedly. Some of it was small talk. Matthew asked Edd some about school, what the boy was studying, how his classes were going, etcetera. With all the effort he put into his schooling, it was refreshing for the boy to have someone finally taking an interest in his academic achievements.

The waiter returned about fifteen minutes later, their courses in hand and set them down on the table. After he departed again, they tucked into their meal. Edd hummed, pleased with his meal as he takes that first bite.

"This really is delicious," he noted enthusiastically. Wiping his mouth carefully, he took a sip of water before continuing, "Now I think I can understand why the food in general is so expensive here."

"Pretty much," Matthew acknowledged, poking his foot with his for, "That's why I brought you here. But damn…You're talkin' like it's oysters and champagne or some shit."

Edd could tell that the man was making fun of him, but decided to play along.

"I must admit; I'm not used to such excellent cooking at all," the boy shrugged, grinning coyly.

After finishing their meal, they moved on quickly to dessert. Edd had the feeling that the time passed too quickly and almost felt – to his great surprise – regretful. It wasn't long at all before the man had paid and the two were leaving the restaurant. As they walked down the sidewalk, Matthew glanced at the boy.

"So, do you ever talk on the phone with anyone back home?" he asked curiously.

"Now that you mention it, I have a plan to talk with Eddy later this evening," Edd replies, "However, I'm afraid I don't converse often with Ed. Aside from them, no; there's really no one I commune with."

Edd realized his answer was pretty vague, but it was the truth; he was really lonely in this unknown city.

"So…what…?" Matthew grimaced a bit, "Your folks don't call you either?"

"Sometimes," Edd shrugs, feeling a bit uncomfortable speaking about his parent's negligence, "But…I've used to their absence since I was a child. They were both rarely at home…"

Matthew studied him for a moment, choosing his next words carefully.

"If you want…" he suspended his words, making sure the boy was paying attention, "We can swap numbers or somethin'."

"Swap numbers…?" Edd echoed, unsure.

"Yeah, so we can chat sometimes…" the man elaborated, "Obviously, if you agree, you can send me a message when you feel alone."

Edd rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. The man spoke with a persuasive tone, suggesting that it may not be in his best interest to do so. As he reflected on his social situation, however, he made a decision.

"Very well…" he nodded.

Yes, he still felt a bit uncertain about it as he withdrew his cell phone and handed it to the man, but maybe it would be worth it? At the very least, it may be comforting to know that there would be a contact in his phone who he could call and meet with at any time. There was a sense of security about it, in a way. As Matthew programed his number into the device, Edd fidgeted some.

"Thank you…by the way…" he mumbles, "For the lunch. Well…and everything, I suppose. It was…nice."

Matthew glanced to him from the phone, his face broken in a grin.

"Don't mention it, Princess," he purred, "It's my pleasure."


	12. Stay the fuck away from him!

_Author's note:_ I apologize for the long wait, hope you like the chapter! Anyway, I want to thank Battygirl for her help, I'm glad that she uses her time to edit my story.

* * *

Chapter 12:

As soon as Edd returned to his room, he decided to rest and take advantage of his free afternoon. He didn't want to do anything for the remainder of the day, despite the opportunity presented to him to use this precious time in a more productive way. Studying chemistry or biology, completing part of a written assignment, or just doing something that wasn't sleeping would be the wise decision. Despite recovering physically during his meal, he still felt broken emotionally. Perhaps a few hours of sleep would have him feeling better?

The idea of enjoying a long shower before resting tortured him, but the boy was well aware that showering after eating wasn't the best idea. His compulsion, however, was countering his common sense. Compulsive cleaning had been a problem for years. More often than not, he would shower at least twice a day. Avoiding his routine now was driving him mad and leaving him feeling more filthy.

In the end, he decided a shower was a must. He was quite certain it had been at least half an hour since he'd eaten. Surely that would be enough of a gap in time to digest. A quick shower couldn't hurt. If anything, it would at least improve his emotional state.

Edd walked into the bathroom, removing his clothes hastily before putting them in his laundry basket. Setting aside his towels and robe, he turned on the tap. The teen stepped under the hot water, pausing for a moment to savor the soothing warmth as it cascaded down his back. After a moment, he gathered up his loofa and began his tedious ritual of scrubbing himself from top to bottom, as thoroughly as possible.

When finished with his routine, the boy stepped out and wrapped himself in the towel. He dried himself off quickly before donning the robe to exit the bathroom. He approached the dresser to retrieve a fresh pair of pajamas. After a quick change, he tucked himself into the sheets.

Edd sighed softly, the shower did indeed help rid him of his anxiety – as it often did – and he could finally get some sleep. The memories of his day and of the soothing shower cradled him into a deep slumber.

* * *

It was hours later before he woke again. As he roused himself, he reached instinctively for his phone. He chanced a glance at the time. Five o'clock. He's startled by this revelation. He had indeed slept for a long time. With a sigh, he rose to sit up straight. A thought occurred to him, urging him to type in Eddy's number. He recalled that morning that he had promised him to call later and he had no intention to waste this rare opportunity to contact his best friend.

It took only a few seconds for an answer to come; a shrill voice answering; "Hello?"

"Greetings, Eddy," Edd sighed as though he'd had a long, busy day, "Finally I have some free time to return your call from this morning. I do hope I've not contacted you at a bad time."

"No way, Sockhead," Eddy retorted, sounding pleased, "I ain't got to shit to do today. I can talk as long as I want. Anyway we didn't get to talk much this morning. Anything interesting happen during your shift? It's a total bore out here."

"N-Nothing much…" Edd stuttered, omitting certain details, "To be honest, I didn't even complete my shift because I wasn't feeling well…"

"Why? What do you mean?" Eddy sounded apprehensive.

Edd found some peace in that. Though he was surprised, it was comforting to know that the shorter boy still worried about his friend after all. The taller teen sighed, however, realizing that he would have to explain.

"I'm afraid I had a terrible migraine and a dizziness that hindered my work," he replied, leaning back against the pillow, "So…someone helped me and asked the owner of the café to give me the day off to recover, provided that I work a few extra hours next week."

Eddy was silent for a moment.

"Y'know…you were acting pretty weird this morning…" he noted, "But I guess I'm glad you at least caught a break…You must know someone with some crazy influence if they were able to do you this kinda favor."

Edd tensed some; "Ah…Let's just say that I made the acquaintance of someone here who has a few connections…" To be fair, it wasn't a lie.

"Hey! Good for you!" Eddy sneered, his voice beginning to grate on Edd's nerves a bit, "It's good to hear you don't wanna act like some antisocial loser in the Big Apple!"

"I am not antisocial," Edd countered, a biting tone to his voice, "I just struggle to make new acquaintances and establish actual friendships."

It irritated him greatly that Eddy would talk like that. It wasn't his fault that he was so introverted and shy. Eddy had known this about him for a long time. Why act like it's so strange all of a sudden?

"Don't have a bird, Double D," Eddy scoffed, "I'm just sayin', you can't stay inside your room or in class all the damn time."

Edd was beginning to take offense to his tone. Eddy had said that as if it was a duty, not a pleasure. He supposed the boy would have preferred Edd to have remained in Peach Creek, but it would seem a small part of his companion envied him quite a lot. He assumed that living in a small neighborhood, by comparison, was a pain for the shorter boy who preferred a grand social life.

Instead of pointing this out, however, he decided to keep their discussion on point.

"Eddy, you must understand," he sighed, nearly scolding his friend, "I came here to focus on my studies, not to have fun. This university is incredibly demanding and I'm afraid I don't have such a luxury, whether in money or time, for such frivolities."

"Fine, fine," Edd could hear the laughter in his friend's voice, "Keep livin' like a grandpa while I kick up my heels."

Edd could tell his friend was just joking around, but he had no interest in playing along. He already had a problem with socializing – going to parties and the like – and the last experience had made it so much worse than before. He didn't need Eddy poking fun at him for his lifestyle choice.

"Why are you so surprised?" he snapped back, "I've never been the kind of person to attend social gatherings like you and I never will be. In fact, after what I've been through, I have no intention of setting foot in a club or filthy place like that ever again!"

Too late did the long-haired boy realize what he'd said.

"Woah…chill out, Double D…" Eddy stuttered, sounding worried, "Jeez…I know you're not that type of person…And what do you mean 'after what you've been through?' What the heck happened?"

On the other end of the line, Eddy was truly feeling worried. Edd had always been a bit overly sensitive about things, but it was rare for him to act this way.

"Never mind…" Edd sighed, "Forget I said anything…"

Edd attempted to compose himself, realizing that his friend was started suspecting something because of that slip of the tongue comment. He didn't want to lie, of course, but he wasn't sure he could talk about it yet.

"No no no no, that ain't how it works, Sockhead," Eddy snapped back harshly, "You're actin' kinda weird. Like, you sound shocked and, hell, even if we're not face to face I can tell something's bothering you."

"Eddy…" Edd shifted uncomfortably, "I truly don't want to hide anything from you, it's just…" He paused, unsure how to explain, "I…I just don't feel like talking about it right now…if at all."

The taller teen gulped, waiting for the other's answer and hoping that he would give up on the argument quickly. Eddy was silent for a few minutes. When he spoke again, he did so in a more gentle tone.

"Tell me at least…if what happened is a serious thing and if you're alright now," he requested in a wavering voice.

"I…I do feel better now…" Edd answered, before pausing to determine what he should say, "The…'events' that occurred last night were quite serious, but…I don't wish to exaggerate the situation disproportionately. I wasn't injured and someone intervened before the worst could happen."

"Before the worst – Dee, what the hell happened?" Eddy demanded.

Edd heaved a weary sigh, realizing he had to explain.

"The club I went to last night was a very – for lack of a better term – 'sleazy' place," he explained, "Nothing that necessarily appeared to be treacherous, but which had hidden dangers."

The long haired boy knew he sounded haggard. Even when Kylie had asked him to go with her, he'd had a bad feeling. He'd tried to ignore it anyway, accepting as though he had no other choice. He shouldn't have listened to her. Of course, he had no way of knowing what horrible mark the experience would have left on him.

"Who came to help you out, anyway?" Eddy asked uneasily. He wondered without asking whether the police had been involved

Edd tensed, his eyes growing wide as Matthew's face flashed in his mind. He bit his lip, wringing the sheets between his fingers. Truly, the question he feared the most.

"Uh…A-A bouncer," he answered hastily, providing as few details as possible, "He um…H-He was there…nearby. No one…uh…N-No one significant…"

Another pause from Eddy.

"Edd, you are the worst liar…" he finally said with a sigh.

Edd groaned, disgruntled by the shorter boy's persistence.

"C'mon Sockhead," Eddy pleaded in a playful tone to lift the mood, "I don't want to force you or anything, but you gotta tell me what's goin' on. You're starting to worry me…"

The taller teen picked up on the tinge of apprehension and anxiety in his best friend's voice. Perhaps it would better to clear the situation and get it over with? He had no intention to make Eddy feeling as bad as he did in his own isolation.

After a moment of silence, Edd spoke up.

"Very well," he said softly, pulling his knees to his chest, "I'll tell you…but you have to promise…promise me you won't repeat this to anyone else."

"Alright, Edd, I won't tell anyone…" The shorter boy swore with plenary certainty. Though, he had a feeling that, after hearing Edd's story, it may be difficult to not say or do anything. Despite that, he would do his best to avoid betraying his trust. "Now, tell me what happened. Start from the beginning if that helps…"

Edd took a deep breath and began to recount the previous day's events.

"It began during lunch break yesterday," he began uneasily, "I met a girl who invited me to her friend's birthday party in this dance club. I didn't know whether to accept or not, but decided I didn't feel like staying in alone for another night. It took more convincing from her, but, in the end, I took a chance and agreed.

"Once there," Edd felt his chest tighten a bit, "I couldn't retreat. I met her other friends and, after a while, they literally dragged me onto the dance floor. To my dismay, they all abandoned me there to enjoy themselves."

He paused, swallowing the lump in his throat as he prepared himself to describe the most difficult part.

"Out of nowhere, this…" Edd grimaced, refraining from slipping into vulgar language to describe the man, "guy I'd never seen before offered me a cocktail and…rather than remaining there, stranded, I accepted." He paused again, realizing with each moment just how foolish he'd been. "He…He said he was friends with one of the girls and…I believed him. As we were talking and…I enjoyed my drink…I began feeling more and more…well, ill. So…I went outside to get some fresh air."

"And?" Eddy asked impatiently, thought sounding apprehensive, as though he had a feeling of what was to come.

"He…He followed me outside and…d-dragged me away somewhere while I was in a complete daze." Edd's voice shuddered as he spoke; the memories too much recount. "He…He started…t-touching me…k-kissing me…" Tears burned in the corners of his eyes, "He…He removed most of my clothing and…and tried to…t-to…"

He couldn't say it. It was too much.

"He…He th-threatened me with a knife when I tried to call for help…" the tears began to fall, his words broken by sobs, "I-If nobody would have come, he…he would have…"

Edd broke down before finishing his sentence. Disgust accosted him again and he began to sob uncontrollably.

On the other end of the line, Eddy sat, his face pale. For a long moment, he said nothing. He clutched his phone tightly, his knuckles white as a fury he'd never felt before welled within him. He tried so hard to control himself, he didn't want to make it worst.

"P-Perhaps it was really my own fault…" Edd sniffled, "A-Am I really so naive I can't see dangers like that when they're right in front of me?"

The taller teen felt ridiculous. He didn't want to worry his best friend, but he couldn't help feeling at fault for what had happened.

"Are you crazy?!" Eddy gawked, "How can this be your fault when some perverted bastard tries to fuckin' rape you while you were alone?! Have you gone to the police yet?! That son of a bitch can't have a lucky escape!"

"I-I can't…" Edd stuttered back, "M-Matthew told me–"

"Matthew?" Eddy echoed, "Who the–?"

It occurred to the shorter boy almost immediately, giving him a wretched feeling. It was a long-shot, to be sure. His brother had lost his job at Mondo A-Go-Go months ago. Rather than coming home to Peach Creek again, however, he'd gone to New York to find a new one.

"No…" Eddy tried to convince himself that it couldn't be true, "No, Edd…This guy better just be some bum you ran into on the street!"

Edd hesitated, unsure how to answer. Eddy seemed to take that as a confirmation of what he'd been dreading.

"You saw my brother?!" Eddy cried, "No! Edd, please tell me what the fuck he has to do with this story! What the hell did he do?!"

Eddy sounded horrified by this revelation. Edd knew it was coming. He remembered well what had happened at the park. What Edd wasn't aware of, which Eddy dreaded to reveal, was how much his brother would push him and how awful he could be. During the few years his brother had lived at home, Eddy had witnessed plenty of Matthew's seedy rendezvous and twisted behavior against every girl or boy he encountered.

"Don't misunderstand," Edd attempted to ease the shorter boy's panic, "Allow me to explain."

He let Eddy take a few deep breaths to calm himself before continuing.

"When I was being…assaulted…" he grimaced, "Matthew was in the area of the club. In fact, he was on his work shift at the time."

"Leave it to my bro to slack on his fuckin' job…" Eddy sneered.

Edd chose to ignore that.

"Anyway…he found me and got me out of trouble," he continued, "He was the bouncer who assisted me. To be honest, Eddy…I'm not sure what would have happened if your brother had not intervened in time."

He can hear the disgruntled noise Eddy made at that statement, drawing a sigh from the taller boy.

"Eddy…" he breathed, "I'm aware you don't look favorably upon your brother and…after what happened at Mondo A-Go-Go, I certainly don't blame you for that view…But…he hasn't done anything bad to me since our chance encounter. I see no reason not to trust him…"

"Are you kidding me?!" Edd winced at his tone, realizing too late that that may not have been the best thing to say. "Why would that asshole do something like that?"

Edd shrugged a bit, though he knew that to be futile, as Eddy could not see the action.

"He told me that he was just doing his job," he explained, "He's responsible for controlling what happens in the club and kicking out the rabble."

He would be lying if he said he believed all of that, but he also found no reason not to believe it either. It at least sounded convincing.

"Maybe…but it still doesn't make sense to me," Eddy said, the grimace thick in his stern tone, "Trust me on this, Dee, he's not the kind of guy who worries about others without some fucked up motivation and you know it."

"There's no need to remind me, Eddy," Edd said with a gulp, "I'm well aware of what he's like…"

He chose not to discuss about what happened next. The man's behavior would surely only serve to make his dear friend worry that much more. The teen didn't know how often Matthew returned home or how often Eddy saw him, but it was obvious to Edd that they did not have any kind of relationship. If anything, his friend would most likely just tolerate him during the holidays. The fact that Edd may start spending time with the man was irony of fate.

"Good! So you won't be have anything more to do with him, right?" Eddy's question sounded more like a order than a suggestion.

The long haired boy sighed, contemplating just what he was going to say. He completely understood his best friend's restlessness, but he and Matthew had exchanged numbers. He couldn't pretend like that hadn't happened or choose not to contact the man. It would have been rude, especially considering how much Matthew had helped him.

"Your request is far too extreme," Edd replied after a moment, "In the past few days he has done nothing but aid me when I've been in need of it. Therefore, I see no reason to avoid him."

Edd aimed to remain sincere, with no intention to follow Eddy's 'command'.

"Are you nuts?!" Eddy demanded, "Do you even realize what are you're saying? You're gonna tell me that you actually wanna see that sicko again because he did you a couple favors?!"

"They weren't just 'favors', Eddy," Edd sighed, "Please, it's true I don't know him as well as you do, but he doesn't seem as bad as I remember…or as bad as you've said. Besides, he wouldn't have helped me – risking his own life and job – if he was that bad…And I know no one else in this city…Why should I avoid the only person I know even slightly?"

The boy didn't even realize how naive he actually sounded to his friend's ears. Because of this, Eddy saw no reason to push the matter, given how stubborn his friend could be.

"Look, Edd," Eddy sighed in one last, feeble attempt, "You gotta know that it's better for you to stay the hell away from him."

The shorter teen was obviously concerned, but Edd had no desire to change his mind. The capped boy was pretty obstinate and naive; unable to see the dangers that may present themselves.

"Eddy, all that aside…" Edd stated, redirecting the conversation, "This must remain just between us."

"Yeah yeah…" Eddy grumbled, "Anyway, did you report what happened?"

"Absolutely not," Edd scoffed as though it were already so clear, "I don't think that's appropriate at all."

"What?!" Eddy yelled, unable to understand how someone like Edd could just let this go, "Dee, you can't let him get away with that bullshit! What if he tries to molest you again? Or what if he tries to attack someone else?!"

"He's risked going to jail many times; it isn't worth it," Edd replied, "At least, that's what Matthew told me…And besides, that's not the point…"

"And?" Eddy snapped, irritated that he wasn't receiving what he'd expected, "What is the point, then?"

"It's just…" Edd whimpered, "It's humiliating…I don't think I could bear anyone else knowing this…I should have known better and I didn't…It'd be a waste of time for me to report something like this when it's my fault to begin with." Before Eddy could counter, he continued with further reasoning. "Besides, it's just as likely that he'll end up in prison for some reason or another. As such, I just don't see any sense in reporting it."

Eddy groaned a little at that.

"Alright fine…" he sneered, "Listen, I won't force you to do anything, it's just some advice. I just woulda thought you'd do what would be better for everyone…"

He sighed; he would have never expected something like this when he'd called Edd earlier that morning. Of course, he'd noticed his friend's unusual behavior, but he had simply attributed it to a hangover that Edd had been attempting to hide. If he'd have been wise to it, he would have avoided those miserable jokes.

The silence between the two was interrupted by the feeble voice of the taller teen.

"I don't mean to make you worry…" Edd murmured, "I'd hate to bother you with my problems."

"I'm the one who asked for it," Eddy retorted, his tone darkening upon hearing the other boy talking like that. Surely his friend knew that he could have talked for hours and he would have listened and hung on every word. "You know I care about you. If you want to pour your little heart out, just do it."

"N-no, no…" Edd hunched his shoulders, looking uncomfortable, "I'd rather change the subject if we could…"

"C'mon, Edd…" Eddy groaned, "I know we don't talk much on the phone anymore, but…I never stopped thinking or worrying about you out there in the big city…"

"I know, Eddy…" Eddy lowered his eyes, picking at the pilling fabric of the comforter, "It's the same for me. But…being forced to limit how often we talk makes me feel…bad."

He hated to bring this up, but he realized he didn't have much of a choice. Sooner or later he'd have to confide in his best friend about this difficult subject.

"I'm sorry…" Eddy sounded genuinely surprised by this, "I mean…I go out with Lee a lot, I guess…and then there's work and…I guess sometimes I get busy."

"Too busy to answer my phone calls, I suppose," Edd grimaced, his tone reflecting sarcasm and hurt.

"I didn't know it bothered you so much…" Eddy muttered doubtfully.

"Well, obviously you're too busy to think about something like that," Edd sneered, rolling his eyes.

After every instance of his friend blowing him off with so many excuses, he just couldn't take it anymore. Was he really that busy to not even stay in touch?

"Forget it…" Eddy scoffed, catching on to Edd's sass immediately, "Just cuz you're busy stressing out at your big fancy school doesn't mean that I don't have my own shit to worry about all day, Sockhead."

"Granted, but would it kill you to return a call or send a message?" Edd was growing more and more irritated by the other's claims.

"Well, fuck, Sockhead," Eddy groaned, "Whenever you try to call, I'm usually hanging at my girlfriend's place or working and I have my damn phone off. And when I turn it back on, sometimes I just forget. Jesus…I didn't think we had to talk every fucking day to stay friends!"

"Oh, dear," Edd retorted in a fake pout, "I'm so terribly sorry for asking you for even the slightest bit of attention! You know, just because I'm away from home, it doesn't mean that you have to ignore me!"

"Dammit, Edd! I told you; I'm not ignoring you! I dunno know if you're acting like this because of what happened or whatever but you need to calm the fuck down!"

"Calm down?!" that was the last straw. Edd drew the phone from his ear to scream into the receiver. "I am sick and tired of your excuses! Perhaps your brother, Matthew, is right about you. At the very least, he'll be better company than you've been in a long time!"

Without so much as a 'goodbye' and, before Eddy could have a chance to reply, Edd ended the call before slamming the phone down onto the nightstand. He'd had quite enough of his so-called 'friend's' behavior. Everything that had happened in the past few months were putting him on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He ignored the vibrations of the phone. Eddy was probably trying to call him back to continue the argument.

Edd ignored it stubbornly. He couldn't bear to speak to him any longer. The taller teen was fed up with his arrogance and his friend even denied the clear evidence. Perhaps later, after he'd calmed, he would check to see if the shorter boy had left a message. At the very least, he expected an apology from Eddy for his negligence. In that instance, he decided to ignore him until he received it.

It hit him a moment later, though, the sorrow of the situation. He and Eddy hadn't fought like that since they were children. To fight like that again hurt. The tears came quickly as he buried his face in the pillow, sobbing indecently as he gripped the blanket in his shaking fingers.

Anymore, he began to feel like a jealous lover. As much as he disliked it, though, he couldn't help but feel that way. They'd been best friends for years, but he wouldn't allow Eddy to treat him so poorly. He wouldn't deny that he had always considered the shorter teen a bit more special than Ed. As consequence, though, the shorter boy's behavior hurt him so much more. If Eddy really cared about him, why would he ignore his attempts to keep in touch?

It seemed that this was to be his fate. With every day he spent in this city, away from home, the taller teen felt more and more alone. It was quickly nearing the point of regretting his decision to move to New York to continue his studies. However, he remained grounded knowing that it wasn't entirely his fault. After all, Ed and Eddy seemed to be making no efforts to contact him or remain emotionally close despite the distance. He couldn't be the only one to make that attempt.

As Edd slowly calmed himself, that feeling of emptiness loomed over him again. He needed to distract himself from his sorrow and chat with someone who wasn't Ed or especially Eddy. But that would require him to actually know someone else.

It was then that he came to a realization. He did know someone else. At lunch he and Matthew had exchanged phone numbers and the man had explicitly told him that he could send him a message whenever he felt lonely.

At this point, Edd felt not just lonely, but nearly desperate. In that moment, though, he craved it. Wiping away his tears, he snatched the phone from the nightstand and sat up, typing up a quick message.

[Salutations, Matthew. How are you?]

Edd thought it may sound stupid to ask – they'd just seen each other only a few hours ago but he had no idea how else to start a conversation with the man. Taking a deep breath, he pressed 'Send' before sitting back to wait. His fingers drummed impatiently on the bed as the boy waited for the answer that came not even two minutes later.

[hey there princess miss me already? ;)]

The man's response would have irritated him under normal circumstances, but he chose instead to play along. Deep down, he had a feeling he was only looking to spite Eddy.

[Perhaps…At least YOU don't blow me off like some OTHER individuals I could name.]

[bet i can guess who youre talkin about]

[Something tells me you're right.]

[If you have a moment, would you like to talk some?]

[sure i got a few minutes]

[provided you aint gonna talk about quantum physics or some bullshit like that]

[I've no intention.]

[To be honest, I'm quite surprised that you have knowledge of the subject.]

[im not as stupid as you might think sweetheart]

Edd blushed a little.

[I suppose not.]

[My apologies. It wasn't my intention to make such comments.]

[no worries girlfriend]

[youre actin kinda bitter tonight]

[bet the dinner at that school was pretty awful right?]

Obviously the man was joking, but Edd didn't want to come off as scathing, at least not with him.

[I actually haven't eaten yet.]

[Though I'm sure, no matter what is being served tonight, it would be incomparable to the fantastic lunch we had.]

[i know even better places yknow]

[im free tomorrow afternoon]

[wanna go for a ride?]

Edd felt pretty hesitant. He needed the distraction, but he wanted to have some idea of what he'd be getting himself into before blindly accepting anything the man offered.

[What do you mean by that?]

[Where would we go?]

[youll see sweetheart]

[ill take you to some places you probably never seen]

[Is that so?]

[I'm curious now. I've seen very little of this city with how huge it actually is.]

[damn gtg]

[ill pick you up around 2:30 tomorrow in the parking lot in front of your school]

[if youre up for it that is]

Edd paused, biting his lip. Perhaps it would be best to take this chance…?

[Very well. I'll see you then.]


	13. Date?

Chapter 13:

_As Edd began preparing for the afternoon trip around New York, he had to admit that he still felt apprehensive about spending time with Matthew. However, he also acknowledged that it would be infinitely better than sequestering himself in his room on a Sunday. He glances out the window and smiles some. To remain inside on such a lovely day would be a shame as well._

_He turned from the window to inspect his wardrobe, looking for something to wear. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't care about his physical appearance very much, but he had no idea where the man would take him. Would it be a nice location that demanded formal wear? Or perhaps something less than reputable? In the end, he decided that more formal may be best, so he attempted to choose a nice outfit. Nothing too formal, of course, but nothing too casual._

_Among other things worrying him, Edd had no idea what Matthew had in mind for him. He could only hope that the man wouldn't take him to some pub. Surely the man was aware that he didn't enjoy drinking alcoholic beverages. Certainly that would dissuade him from bringing Edd to a bar of some sort. A knot settled in his stomach as he speculated all the possibilities about what could happen._

_He heard a buzz from his nightstand and turned to face it, finding the screen on his phone alight. His brow furrowed as he approached it. Surely Matthew hadn't arrived so early…He glanced at the name on the name on the display before grimacing. It was Kylie. With a sigh, he opened the message._

_[hey edd! sup?]_

_[wanna come with us to the mall near campus this afternoon? ;) - KyKy]_

_Edd snorted, shocked by her audacity. Did she even realize how horrid her behavior had been at the club that night? He acknowledged that she probably hadn't, or perhaps she was just as fake as he believed she was. He answered quickly, declining the invitation in as cordial a way as he could._

_[Salutations Kylie! Everything is fine, I suppose. And you?]_

_[I regret to inform you that I must decline your invitation.]_

_[I've already made plans today with someone else. Thank you anyway :) - Edd]_

_After a minute or two, he received her response._

_[rly?!]_

_[is it a date?]_

_Edd tensed when he read the word 'date' on the bright display. A…date? Never had the thought even crossed his mind!_

_[Absolutely not!]_

_[We're simply going out for a few hours touring the city to become better acquainted.]_

_[OMG! edd–srsly?]_

_[that IS a date!]_

_[c'mon C'MON! tell me who ur going out with!]_

_Edd stared at his phone, wracking his brain over whether or not he should tell her. He didn't have a chance, though, as not even a minute passed before another group of texts appeared._

_[w8, i think i know who are ur talking about!]_

_[it's matt, right?]_

_[i knew it! i KNEW it! OMFG! 333)_

_Edd felt his chest tighten. Could this really be a 'date'? Or…was her reading too much into it getting to him? The boy had only wanted to break the ice a bit – it couldn't be considered a date! He read over her texts again before something caught his eye. He grimaced._

_[What on earth do you mean by that?!]_

_Kylie's response arrived just as quickly as the others._

_[aw, c'mon, edd. it's totally obvious!]_

_[the way u two looked at eachother...]_

_[especially matt! hehe]_

_Edd sighed. Had it really been so obvious that he considered the man attractive? Uncertainty halted his response, so Kylie kept messaging him._

_[hello? u still there?]_

_[jeez even if u like eachother, it's not like it's a problem]_

_[nothin wrong w/ being gay]_

_[i don't got a problem w/ it]_

_Edd found himself rather surprised by the girl's reaction. With a sigh, he decided to explain himself._

_[You misunderstand.]_

_[Yes…I am homosexual, but that isn't the point at all.]_

_[Matthew and I are nothing more than 'acquaintances' at the moment.]_

_[hehe not for long]_

_[What do you mean by that?]_

_[his intentions seem pretty obvious to me ;)]_

_[and don't u lie]_

_[i know u like him 2. at least a lil]_

_[u WERE acting pretty weird the other night lol]_

_He scoffs. No, that night, he had been nervous and anxious, but mostly disoriented upon discovering that Eddy's older brother – the man who had abused his best friend and who had even abused him some – was residing close to him. Certainly this girl didn't know what the man had done in the past. Hell, she wasn't even aware of Matthew's real age!_

_Resolutely, he typed out a short, shaky response._

_[I…must admit that I do consider him…attractive…]_

_That much, at least, was the truth. Edd blushed shyly as he recalled seeing the man wearing nothing more than a pair of black boxers. He'd never been able to hide his emotions well at all, leaving him with little choice but avow them._

_[JUST attractive, huh? hehe sure sure]_

_[anyway, is it true u n matt already knew each other?]_

_[Yes, actually. We met a few years ago. His younger brother is my long-time best friend.]_

_[ooh drama! hehe well, i won't keep you, i guess]_

_[have fun on your date 'Princess' lol]_

_Edd bristled in anger, but did his best to ignore the pet-name that Matthew had invented for him in favor of sending one final text._

_[Yes, well, thank you again for your invitation. I'm sorry to have to decline.]_

_[I'll talk to you later.]_

_[Farewell - Edd]_

_[Good luck! XOXO - KyKy]_

_Edd shook his head, attempting to avoid worrying over his quandary regarding whether this would really be a date or not. It would only make him more nervous and flustered. He chose instead to return to his search for an appropriate outfit._

_Finally, his hectic search led to something. He chose something simple. A pair of jeans, dark violet shirt and a padded black jacket. Obviously, the hat was a must as well. Before getting dressed, he slipped into the bathroom to brush his teeth carefully. He wasn't about to leave home without tending to his dental hygiene. After, he combed his hair. A quick spritz of a pleasant cologne before pulling on his clothes. Grabbing a light bag of his belongings – his wallet, keys, cell phone, and a few other essentials – and he was out the door._

_He crossed the hallway of the dormitory, his pace picking up when he noticed it was almost 2.30. Descending the stairs, he exited the building, and arrived in the parking lot._

_To his surprise, he'd beaten Matthew to the location, leading him to sigh softly in relief. He wouldn't have wanted to keep the man waiting. Though, his own wait was making him more anxious than he had been already. Thankfully, it wasn't much longer before the black mustang pulled into the parking lot and stopped in front of the slender teen. The man lowered the window and leaned out some, greeting him with his typical attitude._

"_Hey Princess," he said with a grin, nodding to him to get in the car, "Nice to see you actually showed up."_

"_Greetings to you as well, Matthew," Edd nodded back as he opened the passenger door, "I'm not typically the type of person who would abscond after making plans such as this."_

_The man chuckled, keeping his eyes on the boy as Edd fastened himself in and shut the door again. He wasn't sure how long he could keep up this nice guy charade with how tempting the situation really was. However, he knew well that he couldn't hasten things with this kid. He had to proceed with caution around someone like Edd, at least for now. As much as it pained him, Matthew has little option but to take it slow, so as not to let himself lose out on that pretty face._

"_So, if you don't mind my asking," Edd turned to him, curiosity alight in his eyes, "What are your intentions for this afternoon? I would strongly advise against the consumption of anything alcoholic. I'm afraid I don't enjoy drinking. Well…perhaps excluding wine…So–"_

"_Wine…?" Matthew scoffed, "Didn't peg you as someone who'd ever drink underage."_

"_O-Oh!" Edd stuttered, "W-Well…I-I mean, I—"_

"_Relax, Girlfriend," Matthew interrupted cooly as he pulled away from the parking lot, "You never struck me as the type who'd wanna go out and get drunk in some cheap club regardless. Just trust me. I know a few places."_

_Lowering his sunglasses, he winked at the boy, who darted his eyes away in embarrassment. As Matthew drove towards the main street, he turned on the radio. A pleased grin came to Edd's face as a song by the band Muse began playing. Distractedly, he began to humming along with the music. He didn't often admit it (because few people ever asked), the teen loved them and simply couldn't resist humming or sometimes singing along. Matthew caught on quick to the boy's one enthusiasm, drawing him to laugh._

"_So, you like Muse?" he noted curiously with a surprised tone._

_Edd giggled some; "Yes. I adore them. I even have all their albums."_

_Matthew cocked his brow some; "Heh. They're alright. Been to a couple of their concerts with a few friends before."_

"_Lucky you…" Edd shrugged some, his tone reflecting his disappointment and envy, "I've never had the opportunity to see them live."_

_Matthew hummed a bit before glancing at the teen; "Well, next time they come to town or somewhere close, I can take you."_

"_R-Really?" Edd grinned brightly at the very idea, "I-I'd enjoy that very much. Oh, I do hope it wouldn't be too far away from here. I…" He sighed, silencing himself. "What am I saying…I'd never be able to afford that…But, the sentiment is nice, at least…"_

_It really was…Matthew was turning out to be a vastly different person than he'd expected. Finally, the boy was beginning to relax at his presence and felt less and less flustered._

_Matthew seemed bothered by Edd's statement, but chose to ignore it for the moment._

"_You eat anything yet?" he asked, changing the subject._

"_No," Edd replied, shaking his head, "I wanted to avoid the cafeteria's food for once."_

_He tried not to grimace at the thought of the poorly-cooked burgers, or worse; the chicken nuggets accompanied by frozen vegetables. The college may have been expensive as all hell, but the food was certainly not where the budget went._

"_Great, we'll get somethin' to eat in Times Square before I take ya 'round the city," Matthew decided._

"_Times Square?"_

"_Yeah, you ever been?"_

"_I'm afraid I haven't…But I've been eager to visit in the few months since I arrived…"_

"_I know a good place to eat," Matthew assured him, "Then we'll take a look around."_

_Edd smiled some, averting his gaze. He didn't see the grimace on the man's face. Matthew wondered if he was overdoing it. A quick glance at Edd assured him that wasn't something to fret over. He had the teen eating out of his hands. Edd really was a painfully naive kid and it wasn't taking much to manipulate him. It'd all be worth it, of course. He grins, licking his lips some as he ponders how much better Edd will look writhing beneath him._

"_Is there a lot to see in Times Square?" Edd asked curiously, wondering how much they could really see in a single afternoon, "Oh…perhaps that's a stupid question…"_

"_No such thing, sweetheart," Matthew retorts, drawing the boy to glance at him, "There's a lot to see. Hell, it'd be damn near impossible to see everything. Moreover some things are too damn expensive - like those Broadway shows."_

"_Mm…Broadway…" Edd sighed dreamily, "Perhaps one day, I'll be able to save enought money to attend at least one show. I believe it'd be more than worth it, but I suppose it'd be difficult to do so. The college expenses alone are very high."_

"_Yeah, don't waste your time," Matthew shrugged, "I tried to savin' some cash too, but I got bills and shit so it all got spent in the end. Still make more scratch than most, but nowhere near enough for fancy bullshit like that." He chances a glance at Edd. "That's for people rich enough to be able to afford whatever they damn well please."_

"_Yes…a lot of people attending my college come from prestigious and wealthy families…" Edd relented sorrowfully, "They often boast about what they're able to do with all their money and how often they go out. I have to admit that they can be pretty obnoxious. Most of them don't even have to work to be there."_

_Though Edd too attended the fancy school, his family was far from rich. His parents had to work hard to earn enough money and put it aside for a large tuition to ensure him a future._

"_They're a bunch of spoiled brats who aint never worked a day in their prissy ass lives," Matthew sneered, gritting his teeth, "'cuz they always had everything handed to 'em."_

_The man's words were contemptuous. Of course; he hated those type of people and he wasn't about to change his mind. He glanced to Edd, spotting an indecipherable expression. With a sigh, he elaborated._

"_I know you aren't used to work," he explained, "but you're young and at least trying. Not like—"_

"_Oh no, you misunderstood," Edd assured him, "I agree with you. I can't stand them for the same reasons. Even though I'd never worked before I transferred here, my parents had to. And I appreciate how much they've sacrificed for me and how hard I have to work as well."_

"_What do your parents do, anyway?" Matthew asked offhandedly._

"_My father is a science teacher and my mother is a neurobiologist," Edd explained, "When I was a child, they were never home. Deep down I…always thought they resented me for something…and that they chose not to be around me because of it. But now I understand the reason. They only wanted to guarantee me a bright future."_

"_Huh…so you're basically a family of geniuses, or something, right?" Matthew noted, though only mildly surprised._

"_Oh…I wouldn't go that far…" Edd replied with a blush. "I just have a thirst for knowledge…"_

_Matthew glanced at him again, cocking his brow; "And they really weren't around much?"_

"_I'm afraid not…" Edd shrugged back, "I mean…on the one hand, I appreciate them for their choices because…well it wasn't easy, especially for my mother, but…on the other hand, I'm well aware that they've never been truly present in my life. Even when they were home, they concentrated on other things or gave me orders. I don't remember them being very affectionate toward me."_

_Matthew scoffed; "At least your folks actually gave a shit about your future and what you'd do with your life. Mine had no problem kicking me out when I was barely seventeen."_

_Matthew didn't think twice about lying to the teen. He wasn't about to reveal that he'd run away because he couldn't take his parents constant scolding._

_Edd glanced at him, his eyes wide, "Really?"_

"_Yeah," Matthew shrugged back, "but I was able to take care of myself well enough. Found a job easy enough at the amusement park. Pipsqueak was still in diapers when I left Peach Creek. And the folks didn't seem to care. They always preferred that little shit over me…"_

_The man wasn't lying about this of course, but he'd be lying if he said there wasn't a good reason for Caroline and Thomas to play favorites with their boys._

_Edd often wondered what it would be like to have a brother or a sister. He didn't consider himself a jealous person, but if he had sibling himself, he feels confident that he would have likely suffered similarly to Matthew to be considered the 'less loved one'._

"_My apologies…" he offered, "I'm an only child. I'm afraid I've no idea what that must be like. I suppose it must be difficult."_

"_Be glad for that, trust me," Matthew assured him bitterly, "It may seem better to have siblings, but it isn't. It's pretty shitty."_

_The slender teen ate up the man's words, not doubting them at all. Perhaps the man acted the way he had at Mondo-A-Go because of the resentment over his family situation? Edd acknowledged that it gave him no right to treat Eddy the way he had, but the resentment did explain it some. However, Edd decided to avoid extending the topic any further and stopped over-thinking it. He didn't want to ruin his day because of the past._

_He turned his head to look up at the bright lights and the fluorescent colors as they entered Times Square._

"_So…where are we going to eat?" the boy asked, changing the topic._

"_You like Italian, right?" Matthew asked, "There's a nice restaurant I've been to a few times that has killer Italian food. Or, if you're feelin' 'adventurous', we can try somethin' new."_

"_Mm…Italian sound exquisite," Edd agreed, his mouth watering at the very notion, "I appreciate Indian and Japanese food as well, but nothing beats Italian…"_

_Matthew pulled into an empty parking space amidst a long line of cars; "Yeah, I'd probably eat here everyday. But some of the stuff here is pretty expensive. Like the lasagna."_

"_Oh my…" Edd giggled a bit, pleased that he had something else in common with the man, "Please, don't mention lasagna or I may accidentally salivate on the passenger seat."_

_The man chuckled, amused by the boy's behavior. He enjoyed the teen's company and he intends to do everything to have him all to himself._

_Matthew shut the car off, unbuckling himself to exit the vehicle. As they were stepping out, the slender teen remember something very important. He didn't have the money for this! And he had a nagging feeling that everything he'd want to eat would be much more expensive than he could afford. Taking out his wallet, he frantically checked to see if he had enough money for the meal. He'd brought all the cash he had. His paycheck as a waiter was always so low and his tips meager, leaving him with little spending money. Fortunately, what he did have was enough to pay for at least one person, as long as he didn't pick anything too costly._

_Matthew noticed that the teen had remained by the car and groaned a bit before approaching him._

"_What's the problem?" the man asked, cocking his brow._

"_Nothing," Edd replied shyly, rubbing the back of his neck, "I was merely checking to ensure I had enough money to pay for lunch."_

_The man gazed at him for a few seconds before laughing sharply._

"_How many times do I have to tell you, Girlfriend?" he chuckled, repeating almost the same words he'd used the day before, "I don't want you to pay. I know these places are expensive and I also know you're broke. I'll take care of it."_

"_B-But!" Edd stuttered, taken aback by the man's response, "Y-You can't always pay for me. That's not fair! At least let me pay half of it."_

"_Fine, fine," Matthew shrugged, turning to the restaurant, "If you insist."_

_If the kid really wanted to spend his money, he sure as hell wasn't going to stop him. The two entered the restaurant and were ushered quickly to a free table close to a window, giving them just enough of a view of the city outside. Matthew's eyes skimmed over the long menu._

_He chortled; "Look at that…there's your beloved lasagna if you want it." _

"_Uh…" Edd gulped a bit, his eyes locked on the price. He glanced at the other dishes on the menu, dismayed by the high price of most of the items. "Perhaps I should just…opt for a salad instead…?"_

"_Why don't we get a bigger portion," Matthew suggested, "Then we can slice it in half?"_

_Edd pondered it for a moment. It's a tempting offer that seemed pretty worthwhile._

_He grinned; "That sounds perfect. I could never refuse such a proposal."_

"_Wanna get a bottle of wine too?" Matthew offered, his blue eyes locked on him._

"_Well…it seems a bit early for that…" Edd mumbled, "But I suppose as long as it's not too strong…and perhaps not a full bottle…?"_

_Matthew grins, pleased with his answer. Their waiter, a tall, young man with curly, dark hair, arrived at the table and took their order. The two used the waiting time to continue their discussions._

"_There's something I've been meaning to ask you…" Edd began, placing his napkin on his lap._

"_Shoot."_

_Edd paused, pondering how to articulate his thoughts; "Years ago…I entered in your room with Ed and Eddy and saw a harp in the corner. I noticed it from the start, but, after meeting you it seemed…strange that you would have use for it. Did you really play or was it just more…'odd' decor for the room?"_

_Matthew scoffed a bit, fiddling with a breadstick from the basket set down by their waiter._

"_I may not seem the type, but I played it for years," he explained, "When that pain in the ass brother of mine cried at night, I'd sing and play him songs to calm him down. Otherwise, he'd have gone on for hours. Dunno how to play anything else."_

_Leaning back in his chair, he took a bite from the breadstick._

"_Wow…" Edd breathed, shocked by the response, "That's…very sweet from you. If Eddy fell asleep every night it must mean that you're very good at it."_

"_How about you, Princess?" Matthew asked, cocking his head a bit, "You play anything?"_

_Edd grimaced, "The only instrument I know how to play is the pedal steel guitar."_

"_I sense some bitterness in your tone…" Matthew notes with a knowing grin._

"_It's not a talent I'm proud of…" Edd sighs, "I began lessons when I was seven at my mother's request. I only learned for her because…I thought it would make her stay around… I've never enjoyed it. I actually find it quite annoying…"_

_In revealing his talent, the boy was suddenly reminded of the moment when he'd first impressed his friends with his skill. Nobody had expected that he was gifted musically._

"_Wow…sounds like you have many talents…" Matthew complimented._

"_Oh there's much more that I'm horrible at…" Edd sighed, "Sports, for one…I prefer to use my mind over my body. I'd much rather study, read and acculturate myself. And lest we forget that I'm terrible at my job…waiting tables is certainly not my strong suit…"_

"_Mm…that reminds me…" Matthew leaned forward against the table, grinning at him, "What is it you're taking at that fancy college? What're you working towards?"_

_Edd brightened up considerably; "Oh, well my dream is to become a doctor or perhaps a researcher." His face fell again, however, and he pressed his back against the chair. "However, the studies are very long and expensive and…I guess I'm not completely certain whether I'm just…wasting my time or not."_

"_Please," Matthew scoffed, drawing the boy to look up at him, "With how often you claim to study and how hard you seem to work in school, I can tell you won't have any problems. The fact that you were able to get into this kind of college without being some purebred little bitch whose parents can afford it, means that you've got the brains to pass no problem."_

_Edd's eyes were wide as he drank in the praise. Of course, the man spoke truthfully, but he also had a feeling that the words were most likely what the boy wanted to hear._

"_I…am aware of my abilities," Edd answered, shyly, his gaze darting away, "What I mean is…it takes a lot of time and…I don't know if I can handle the pre-requisites that come with my chosen occupation…"_

"_If you mean that blood and guts make you feel sick to your stomach, then you might be right…" Matthew suggested, "Being a doctor probably isn't the best choice. Unless you wanna specialize in somethin' specific…"_

"_It depends…" Edd shrugged back, "Blood doesn't…'necessarily' make me sick, but I'm quite sensitive to some things. My intention was to specialize myself. After all, there're plenty of fields such as oncology, psychiatry, gynecology…"_

"_You wanna be a gynecologist?" Matthew withheld the grin that threatened to appear on his face._

"_It could be one of the possibilities," Edd nodded, "It's a very important branch too."_

"_Yeah, sure." Matthew chose to save his immature jokes for a better time. "Maybe you can try that researching thing. Maybe discover something important."_

"_That would be amazing…" Edd answered, smiling, "And it would mean a lot for me to reach that level of knowledge."_

_Before they could continue, the waiter returned with the wine and their food, wishing them to enjoy their meal._

"_It's been ages since I ate lasagna," the boy admitted, gazing at the meal with greedy eyes._

"_Well, I hope this is worth the wait…"_

_After the slice had been portioned into halves for each of them, Edd grabbed his fork, taking a bite of the pasta. He moaned some at the pleasant taste. Carefully cleaning his mouth, he made to speak again._

"_Did you ever like studying when you were younger?" he asked._

_Matthew shrugged laconically; "It depended on what I had to study. Trying to learn about shit I wasn't interested in to appease my parents or the teachers never stuck."_

"_What were you interested in?" Edd asked, taking another bite of his food. When Matthew's eyes returned to him, intimidating in their intensity, the boy averted his gaze self-consciously. "M-My apologies. I don't mean to insist. I'm merely curious."_

_Matthew cocked his brow at the boy's behavior._

"_Well…I liked history and geography some," he answered, "I never liked science, but biology wasn't bad…got to dissect some cool stuff. And languages were cool I guess. I can speak pretty fluent spanish and portuguese. I used to take classes for both" The man chuckled at the shocked reaction on Edd's face. "What? Just cuz I dropped out high school, doesn't mean I'm some ignorant bumpkin."_

"_Apologies…" Edd repeated, flustered for the gaffe, "You just…surprised me. I wasn't aware you would appreciate those subjects. I had a very…different impression of you. E-Eddy never…never talked about what you were like in school…aside from showing us your 'Report Card-Changing Kit'. So I had no idea…"_

"_Hmm…Yeah, I got that, Princess," Matthew flashed him a grin, making the boy's anxiety ebb, "I bet Pipsqueak told you and Cheesehead a lot of bullshit about me, huh? Not surprised. Then you find out I'm nothing like he'd told you. Though…that kit was real…I used it many times."_

_Edd stopped eating, listening carefully to what he had to say. _

"_I guess I made a lot of mistakes with Eddy…" It took every last ounce of willpower Matthew had to keep the grin and his own laughter at bay as he weaved a sorrowful confession. He looked away from the boy, which helped considerably to keep his composure. "I shouldn't have treated him the way I did back then. When I was a teen, I was out of control and I never really grew out of it. If I could go back, I wouldn't have done any of that."_

_Edd's eyes were wide in shock that Matthew was actually apologizing for his old behavior. What shocked him most, though was that Edd knew that he'd already forgiven him somehow._

"_And I wouldn't have done what I have did at the park, either," the man continued, "I assure you I regret it. Those kids and Pipsqu…Eh…Eddy…didn't deserve it." His eyes fell on Edd again, looking solemn. "Especially you, Princess." __The hate towards his own brother _had_ dwindled over the years, but it hadn't yet disappeared. At least the last part of he'd said was completely honest._

"_Don't worry," Edd assured him, hunching his shoulders and averting his gaze, "I've moved on after all you've done for me."_

"_Bullshit." Edd's attention snapped back to the man before him, who was giving him a knowing look. "Don't lie to me, sweetheart. I can tell. You're still afraid of me."_

_Edd bowed his head; "It's not…that I'm afraid…Frankly, I just find you…intimidating…But after your assistance these past few days, I feel safe in saying that I feel no scorn towards you."_

_Matthew chuckled; "I see…Well, anyway…" He sat back casually, "I'm reformed, as you can see. I only use my fists during my work shift and only on asshole adults who deserve it. And even then, I rarely get into fights."_

_Judging at the tone of the man's voice, Edd deemed him repentant._

"_Yes…I…I trust you and I can see you're different now." The boy paused for a while, lost in thought, "Otherwise you wouldn't have helped me. You'd have just…left me there that night." With a smile, he raises his gaze to meet Matthew's again, "People are capable of changing themselves."_

_Matthew grinned, raising his glass of whine. With a hopeful smile, Edd raised his own in a toast before bringing the glass to his lips to drink. It's a pleasant sight for the man to see. The boy was almost totally convinced that he was a new person._

"_Oh my…" Edd breathed, setting his glass back down on the table and meticulously wiping his mouth, "I certainly don't want to drink too much of that…"_

_Matthew scoffed, leaning against the back of his chair as he finished his meal; "Unless you're gonna puke, there's no such thing as too much of a good red wine."_

"_Well, perhaps I can allow myself a bit more…" Edd affirmed slyly before downing the last of the violet beverage in his glass._

_When they'd both finished their meals, they divided the bill as agreed before exiting the restaurant._

"_So, where to start?" Matthew pondered aloud, placing an arm around the boy's shoulders._

_Edd was startled by the gesture and glanced him shyly, though he didn't oppose him. He'd become quite used to such contact due to Eddy's incessant habit of throwing his arms around him and Ed._

_"I've no idea…" he shrugged back, glancing around at his surroundings, "there's so much to see…"_

"_No worries, Princess…" Matthew winked, urging him towards the car, "I have a plan. Something I'm pretty sure you'll like."_


	14. Daring

_PLEASE READ THIS:_ I'm sorry for the delay, but I got stuff to do. Next time I will try to update WAY faster. Thanks for the patience, though.

Chapter 14:

They walked along the crowded and busy streets, enjoying the view of the city. Bright lights hanging over them and the shambles was unimaginable.

"This is all so incredible…" Edd breathed, gazing around, amazed, at his surroundings, "I've seen plenty of photographs of Times Square, but seeing it all up close and personal is a completely different experience."

"Yeah, hit me the same way at first…" Matthew grinned back, keeping his eyes on the boy beside him.

"I must say, it would appear that Times Square is possibly the most chaotic part of the city," Edd noted, "I've never seen so many people at once."

"Yeah, it probably is," the man shrugged in response as they pushed pass a few tourists, "Pretty sure it depends on the time of day." He cocked his brow. "Hell, compared to this place, Peach Creek's more like a morgue." He nudged the boy a bit, "Guess it's a good thing we both had the chance to get the fuck outta dodge, huh?"

"I suppose you have a point," Edd relented, rubbing the back of his neck, "I mean, on one hand, I often prefer the peaceful and quiet suburban life back home. It used to be so much easier to concentrate on my school work and other studies. On the other hand, though, you can do so much more here. There's so much to see and experience."

Edd's internal conflict over his homesickness verses his enthusiasm towards his opportunities in this big city was displayed heavily on his face. He'd be lying if he said he didn't miss home. It was the place where he'd grown up and where he'd made all of his most precious memories.

As it were, he hadn't been born there at all. His parents had moved into the cul-de-sac when he was two years old. However, he had no memories of where he had been born. Everything that he could remember belonged to his childhood in Peach Creek and Peach Creek alone.

"I fuckin' hated that shit hole…" Matthew growled, shoving his hands in his pockets, "I only have bad memories there and I can't remember it being much more than a boring place." He pauses for a moment before adding; "At least, that's how it was for me."

It was clear he had been all too eager to have moved far away, but it had mostly been due to his desire to avoid going back home after losing his job at the park. Aside from the humiliation of returning, shamefaced and broke, to his parents' home, he just couldn't stand going back to some one-horse, dead-end town.

"Really?" Edd asked, disappointed, "I mean, granted; not much happened around there, but there were some good attributes. I'd always considered it a really quiet and modest location. Ed, Eddy, and I were always able to entertain ourselves no matter what too. If anything, it was a nice place to at least grow up and raise children." He shrugged a bit. "But perhaps I'm biased…It's the place which houses most of my memories. It would make sense for me to miss it sometimes."

He wondered what Matthew's bad memories were, but he decided it may be best to keep that conversation aside for a different time. He didn't want to seem too nosey, after all. Though they still didn't know each other very well, it seemed too soon to inquire about such a private matter as that.

The teen noticed the man's expression and added with a shrug; "I suppose that doesn't make much sense to you…"

The man frowned pensively, wondering what may be going on in the teen's mind as they crossed the street to walk back along the opposite side of the street. Usually, Matthew would have found this kind of person incredibly boring. Nerdy, know-it-all, by-the-book and too introverted. A real turn-off and the kind of person the man would rather scam out of a few bucks than pursue.

But Edd was a great exception. Physically, the boy was just his type. He had a pretty face, with almost feminine features. Big green eyes and long black hair that reached his shoulders. A frail frame that looked as though it'd break all too easily. Although the man had initially mistaken him for a girl and had ridiculed him in front of all those other little brats six years before, now he couldn't help but find him gorgeous.

"Let's just say I prefer more…'rowdy' places," Matthew offered, putting an hand to Edd's back to usher him out of the way of some business man rushing past them, "You could say I find them more 'welcoming' than some boring town like Peach Creek."

"I suppose it's all about taste," Edd admitted, "I prefer calmness because I love studying and reading, whereas you prefer excitement…To each their own, I guess." The long-haired boy was silent for a while, thinking carefully about what he wanted to ask. "Do you enjoy reading?"

"It depends on the genre I think," Matthew shrugged back.

"Mm, I'd have to agree," Edd nodded, "Though I love to read, I don't really have a taste for romantic books. Sometimes they can be well-written, but there's always something trivial that makes me lose interest quick. I must admit that I tried more than once to explore this genre amidst the shelves of the school's library, but I barely finished the suggested 'best sellers'. I just don't understand why it's so beloved…Fantasy as well seems to be quite popular. I can't say I enjoy that either, I like the science fiction, much more, though. There are much more fascinating and detailed descriptions and abundant plots. It's a far superior genre in my opinion."

"Mm…Sci-fi's not bad," Matthew agrees, "But some of those stories can get fuckin' complicated. I'm a sucker for horror and thriller — and that includes movies along with books. I've read plenty over the years."

The man considered for a moment that his tastes might have seemed menacing to the younger boy. Making a good impression was, after all, his goal for now. He could only hope an interest in reading at all was enough.

"I've read some thriller and horror stories," Edd offers. "but they must be very well-written to maintain the suspense. Therefore, I'll often choose them very carefully and I can get very discerning. It's the same with movies, like you said. They have to be very well-made and well-written themselves and not too gorey, otherwise they only make me feel sick."

He grimaced at the memories of the movies Ed loved watching. How the boy would have displayed little, if any reaction, other than excitement.

"What do you like most?" the man asked, curious, "Of movies or books…or both?"

"Well, I quite the works of Steven King and Edgar Allan Poe," Edd replies, "Concerning movies, I thoroughly enjoyed Poltergeist, The Exorcist, The Blair Witch Project, Suspiria, Carrie, the Shining…" He paused in thought before shrugging. "Well, really any of the classics of horror films."

"Well well… the man purred, giving him a pleased look, "you have good taste, Princess. Real good. I wouldn't have expected you to like that kind of stuff. I thought you said you were squeamish? That gore made you sick?."

"While that is true if there's too much gore," Edd explains, "I've become pretty desensitized to most of that. Ed accustomed me with a lot of horror and I often enjoyed it in the end. Though, I attribute that to how low-grade those movies were. Therefore, when I view a real masterpiece by comparison, I can't just ignore them."

"Oh yeah?" Matthew scoffed, "Does cheesehe— Eh…does Ed seriously like that stuff? He seems like the type of guy who watches stupid cartoons and reality tv shows all day."

"Well, like I said, the movies he watched all the time were low-budget B-movies," Edd explains, "And yes, he does watch cartoons and silly television shows as well, but he's most passionate about horror films and comics; especially those involving zombies, evil clowns, serial killers, haunted houses and other material in general with graphic contents…" He chuckles a bit as memories accost him. "For a long time, he wanted to have a horror movie-marathon two Fridays per month from ten pm to four or even five o'clock in the morning! Sometimes, Eddy and I would have accepted his proposal, but for the most part, it was just unthinkable. Hours and hours of screams, blood, creepy soundtracks, and weird monsters can be quite stressful."

Edd often asked himself what made him accept that ridiculous offer more than once. Staying up so long to watch those movies had surely caused him more damage than anything else and by the following afternoon he felt like a used rag because the sleep deprivation. The nightmares weren't a rare case either and this 'habit' also messed up his sleep schedule far too much.

"Are you kidding?" Matthew sneered, "I may like the occasional horror movie, but I've never watched more than two or three movies in a row on any given day. And God forbid you start watching one of those really long ones. It's fuckin' crazy. That friend of yours is fucking obsessed."

"'Obsessed' is an understatement," Edd laughed, "We attempted on more than one occasion to convince him that sitting in front of the television for hours and hours and hours is damaging for his sight and his brain, but there was no convincing him. Eddy and I both tried to invent some excuses, but in the end we always felt sorry for him and let him continue with his delusions. So instead we'd support him in his passions, rearing him in when necessary." He sighed in resignation, "It's wrong to leave a friend all by himself just because you don't agree with their passion."

"Sounds like you're real good friends," the man grumbled with a slightly bitter tone, "Guess you three really care for each other or somethin'."

"Yes…" Edd shrugged, his mood depleting as he recalled the conversation between himself and Eddy the night before, "I care about them a lot. Though…I've begun to question that's mutual anymore. We really don't talk much lately…"

Matthew gives him a careful look; "You and my brother have a fight?"

Edd turned towards the man, startled; "How did you know?"

"Seemed pretty obvious," the man shrugged back, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket, "I don't see you wearin' that bracelet you're so attached to that you said was from him. And it sounds like he's not appreciatin' you much if you're questioning shit…"

"You're rather intuitive," Edd notes reluctantly. He chooses not to hide his irritation over Eddy's behavior. "Well, yes, it's true. Last night…He keeps ignoring my texts and my calls — even going so far as to pretend he hadn't seen them. We argued because I've…I've had enough of it. Surely he's not too busy to just answer me…"

"You seem to think about him a lot…" Matthew barely held back his grimace, wondering what Edd found so special about his twerp of a brother, "Kinda sad when he hardly seems to think about you."

"All I asked for is just an iota of his attention since he's done nothing but ignore me lately," Edd continued, "and all I get in response is patronizing nonsense about what happened at the club." He adopted a mocking imitation of Eddy's voice, "'I don't know if you're freaking out because of what happened.' 'Calm down!' That cheeky beggar!" He took a breath to calm himself rubbing his forehead. "At that point I just…I got so upset that I ended the call. All he's done is offer me excuse after excuse, taking my leaving home as a reason to pretend that I don't exist."

Edd sighed, coming to a stop along the sidewalk. He felt a bit guilty for unloading all of this onto the man, but he just couldn't stand it anymore. He still cared so deeply about their friendship, but more and more it was beginning to feel unworthy of his time.

"You shouldn't let yourself get worked up about that," Matthew scoffed, stopping as well to turn to him, "If he really considered you his 'best friend' or whatever, then he'd actually give enough of a shit to call once in a while. If I were you I woulda told him to fuck off."

"In a way, I guess I did," Edd shrugged back, "I told him that I'm sick and tired of his attitude and hung up on him. But I feel…bad. I don't want this to ruin our friendship. We've known each other for years and we've been through so much worse…And I guess it would be a great shame to tear our 'trio' apart, but…"

He pouted, unable to finish his sentence. This wasn't the first time that Eddy had irritated him — had pushed him far enough to declare their relationship almost too strained to pursue — but he couldn't bring himself to give him or Ed up.

"If he treats you like shit, it aint as much of a shame or a loss anyway," Matthew retorted in disgust, "He doesn't deserve you."

The long-haired boy bowed his head, blushing at the comment.

"What do you mean…?" he asked shyly.

"The hell do you think I mean?" the man sneered before shooting the teen an ambiguous grin, "Pipsqueak doesn't deserve a friend like you. Let him fester on his own for a while and see how he reacts if you care so much."

Edd averted his gaze uneasily, wondering to himself whether or not Kylie had been correct about the man's intentions. That smile did little to quell his unease. Taking a breath, he began walking again, unintentionally leading the way.

"Well, thank you for the advice," he nods shakily, "Perhaps that's best the way to handle this for now…"

Matthew observed him for a moment in silence as he followed behind him. Picking up his pace, he returned to the boy's side and set a hand to the small of Edd's back, leaning a little closer so he could be heard as they walked past a particularly noisy spot.

"How 'bout we head to Central Park Zoo?" he offered in hopes of changing the subject.

Edd lit up at the very notion, barely noticing the contact.

"Can we?" he beamed, "I haven't been to a zoo since I was a child. And I've heard the one here is spectacular! I've not checked the official website as of yet, but I remember reading somewhere that there are even leopards as well, it that true?"

"Oh yeah," Matthew rolled his eyes some, counting on one hand a number of the featured exhibits as he began leading Edd back to the car, "Snow leopards, grizzlies, lions — and a bunch of other animals that would just love to bite your face off. So…try to avoid getting too close to the fences and cages, will ya?"

"Oh yes, of course," Edd nodded, "They are still wild animals, after all. Can we at least take photos, though?"

"Sure," Matthew shrugged back, "I wouldn't take too long or anything. They can get annoyed after a while, but that should be fine."

"You're very knowledgeable about this place," Edd noted, "Have you been there often?"

"Nah, just once," the man retorted, "But after you break the rules and have them bitch at you enough times, you start to remember them…And I noticed the way a lot of the animals behaved enough to know the rest."

Naturally, Edd had never expected Matthew to be interested in animals or their behavior. He had mentioned liking to read now and then, perhaps he'd read zoology books too?

"Have you ever read books about wildlife?" the teen asked curiously, "Books about…well…any animals? Domestic, wild, reptilian, exotic?"

Matthew shrugged again; "Back in school, I took a look at some books about cats and reptiles and some exotic animals in the library. I had a snake when I was still living at home so I had to figure out what all I needed to do to take care of it."

"I do remember Eddy mentioning something about a snake…" Edd shuddered, "He said it liked to escape…"

"Nah, I let it go after I left home," the man explained, "But I didn't tell mom and dad so I'm sure they're the ones who came up with that bullshit excuse."

"I see…" Edd rolled his eyes, "I used to read those types of books in high school as well, but I had to give that up…I don't really have no time for that anymore…"

"If you're so busy with college, adding on unnecessary reading would just be a burden," Matthew stated dismissively, "I'm guessing you already have enough bullshit you've gotta memorize. Anything else would just get in the way of that."

Edd giggled a bit; "Somehow you seem to be as much of a swot as those you like to criticize."

"Yeah yeah," the man grumbled, sounding bitter and proud at the same time, "I guess I would consider myself more informed than certain people who finish high school just to have a diploma."

"Certainly…" Edd acknowledged, "Unfortunately, there are many people who act that way, but…quite negatively. Ever since I'd begun school, I'd always been the teachers' 'favorite' because I would invest more time than others into studying. But now someone else is often the class 'favorite' because they're…well…"

"People with friends in the right places?" Matthew finished for him with a mischievous grin, "You can say it, Princess. I've had my fair share of run-ins with people like that. Not much to do for it. If someone is related to the teachers or pays to get through it, they'll always have a leg up over their classmates. It's the same with most jobs."

Edd pouted some, spotting the car up ahead.

"Yes…" he admitted reluctantly, "That's how it is at my University as well. Most of my classmates are from really rich families so…" He withheld a grimace and continued talking as they neared the passenger door . "I regret to admit I may have a few prejudices against them." He stopped to think for a moment. "I'm afraid I may have also had several prejudices about you…But I can safely say that you're…different than I expected. You've proven me wrong. Unfortunately, the very opposite is all that happens with my school mates."

"Yeah yeah," the man rolled his eyes, slipping an arm around Edd's waist and urging him closer, "We've been over that before, sweetheart. I know Pipsqueak told you all that bullshit about me and then I turned out to be an ass when you finally met me…"

Edd giggled again, letting himself be pulled into the man's side, "Yes, well…like I said, you've certainly proven me wrong. Next time, I won't jump to conclusions."

The mischievous grin did not leave the man's face as he opened the door for Edd, realizing that his intent was getting closer and closer.

* * *

It was almost six o'clock that afternoon when they finally left the zoo and, even though it was freezing, Edd had no intention of going back to the University. He had only just found out how relaxing strolling around Central Park could be, drinking hot coffee and chatting with someone.

"Wasn't expecting to be there that long," the man noted, taking the last sip of his dark coffee before throwing the used cup into the trash can."

"Yeah," Edd shrugged, finishing his cup as well and discarding the trash, "But it was nice to see everything at once, don't you think? A very educational experience, if I do say so myself."

He starts rubbing his arms, cursing himself for not wearing warm-enough clothing.

Matthew noticed the boy's mannerisms; "You cold?"

"A little," Edd answered, hunching his shoulders shyly, "I hadn't expected the weather to be so harsh…"

"You want my jacket?" the man asked, taking the opportunity presented to him, "I'm not feelin' too cold right now."

"Oh no, thank you," Edd shook his head gently, "I wouldn't want you to get sick because of me."

"I told you, Princess," Matthew grimaced, removing his jacket, "I aint cold. You're the one who didn't bring a fuckin' jacket with you to go walkin' around New York. If anyone's gonna get sick, it's you."

Edd pouts, reluctantly giving in, "Very well…If you insist." He smiles a bit as the jacket is placed on his shoulders, its warmth seeping into his skin. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

The wait was excruciating, the man is quickly finding. He had to bide his time for just the right moment to make his move. He'd already guessed that Edd was gay, so of course he didn't dread any awkward reactions about that from the boy. But he was well aware that he shouldn't just rush things. Slow and steady would win him what he wanted. He glanced around, grinning some. They're alone; the few people around them having dispersed and disappeared altogether. He eyed a bench nearby.

"How 'bout we take a seat?" he offered, "Should be nice after all that walkin' we did."

"Sure," Edd nodded, "That does sound nice."

They took a seat on the wooden bench close one another. The man leaned back, stretching an arm behind the long-haired boy's back, making it look like a casual gesture. The teen wondered to himself about how similar the man beside him was to Eddy. Though they both seemed to hate each other and were different in many ways, they were still brothers. He was lost in thought as he pondered this.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, Princess?" the man asked with a grin, "You're spacin' out on me."

"Mm, nothing much," Edd shrugged back, hoping to avoid the topic and well aware that the man didn't like talking about his brother.

Edd could feel the man moving closer, reducing the distance between them more and more. He chose not to move, unsure how to respond.

I'm beginning to suspect that Kylie may have been correct…Edd noted shyly as he hunched his shoulders. Matthew…may or may not be…hitting on me. He's quite sure he's got a blush on his face. If Kylie had noticed it, it must have been obvious. The boy tugs at his hat some in embarrassment; he must have been blind to not notice it himself.

He's startled when he feels the man caressing his hand. Swallowing down the lump in his throat, Edd turned towards him, speechless. He met the man's gaze, transfixed by the icy-blue eyes locked on him. Matthew drew nearer to him. The teen remained still for a few seconds, hesitating, before doing the same. He felt the man's hot breath on his lips and shyly grabs at the man's upper arm, blushing a bit darker. Matthew took it as a sign and closed the distance between them.

Edd winced at the contact of the man's lips upon his own; so warm and with the bittersweet taste of the coffee. The man rested his free hand on Edd's cheek. The teen found it strange that the contact wasn't nearly as cold as the boy had expected it to be. What surprised him more, however, was when the man slipped his tongue past his lips. He gasped softly, but didn't pull away, moaning a bit at the intrusive touch. He let himself go slowly as well, clinging to the man and kissing him more audaciously.

Pleased by the boy's response, Matthew and slipped an arm around Edd's waist, drawing him closer. The teen's body was quickly warming up, in spite of the freezing weather and, as his fingers grazed the man's neck, he found the same to be happening with Matthew. Needless to say, it was affecting both of them.

They separated after a few minutes to catch their breath. Edd, after realizing what just happened, turned about as red as a tomato and divert his green eyes, tugging his hat down over his face. It wasn't his first kiss, by any means. During high school he had had some experiences — not to mention his few experiences as a child with the Kankers and Eddy. However, he still felt just as embarrassed as the first time.

Matthew observed his reaction, grinning more.

"You're more daring than I woulda guessed, Princess," he noted with a chuckle.

Edd was unable to articulate a response, stammering incoherently as he rubbed the back of his neck. What could he say? In a desperate attempt to distract himself, he looked around. It was getting dark. Brow furrowed, he checked his phone.

"O-Oh my!" he gasped, jumping to his feet, "It's nearly seven…I-I have to go back to the University. D-Dinner will be starting soon."

"Don't worry about it, Princess," Matthew shrugged, "I'll drop you off. Aint much else to see here, anyway."

Edd nodded shyly to him as the man stood before allowing himself to be escorted back to the car. He kept his mouth shut, unable to figure out what to say to break the uncomfortable silence. They'd parked close and were back in the vehicle soon enough. After settling into the passenger's seat, Edd removed the jacket before handing it back to the man as he fastened his seat belt.

"Here…" he mumbled uneasily as Matthew stepped into the driver's seat, "You can have it back now, it's not as cold here in the car."

"Nah, you go ahead and keep it for now if you're still cold," the man retorted, turning on the vehicle.

Edd leaned back against the seat as they drive away. With a shy look, he laid the garment over his shoulders again, just to warm himself a bit more. As they drove in silence, he wondered how he had not noticed the blatant interest the man had in him. Even Kylie had been aware of it before he had caught on! Brow furrowed, he glanced at the man next to him in an effort to observe him. What intentions did he have now? How much would he push this?

"Did you at least have a good time, Princess?" the man asked, breaking the pressing silence between them. "I know I did. I've been lovin' your company."

Edd blushed, startled by his words. Hunching his shoulders, he smiled.

"Y-Yes…" he answered, "I had fun. And…I must admit, I've discovered that we actually have quite a lot in common."

Though he was totally sincere about what he'd said and he now trusted the man more than before, he was feeling quite uneasy about the whole situation. Despite how conscious he was about Matthew's changing, he knew well how Eddy would react if he were to discover that he had begun seeing the man 'in that way'. The night before, his friend had shuddered just hearing about the helpful encounter his friend had had with his brother. Edd shuddered to think of the response he'd receive should they start dating.

That, however, may not have been something that should have concerned him. He shouldn't have to choose who he wanted to spend time with based on Eddy's opinions, even if that person was someone he'd once had a very negative experience with.

When they arrived at the destination, Matthew parked in front of the college building. He observed the teen sitting in the passenger's seat for a little, noticing how lost in thought Edd seemed to be for the moment. He ponders his next move carefully, wondering if he should continue what he started or wait for the next time. Edd unfastened his seat belt, turning towards the man as he felt himself being watched, but not feeling uncomfortable with it.

He cleared his throat; "I um…Thank you…for today." He rubbed his arm coyly, "And, for everything else."

"How many times do I gotta tell you, Princess," the man scoffed, "You don't have to keep thanking me or whatever. If I do something, there's always a reason for it."

"Oh really?" Edd asked in a mocking naive tone, "And what might that be…?"

He wanted to pretend to have not realized the man's intentions; to see how far the man would have pushed himself and how far he intended to take this. The man chuckled in response, amused, and leaned over to kiss him again. The teen leaned into the kiss, putting his arm behind the man's back. Matthew held the boy's waist firmly as he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue back into Edd's mouth.

It's now he realized that what he wanted wouldn't be as difficult to obtain as he'd expected. As it turned out, the boy hadn't been so difficult to seduce, but he'd still need more time to reach his goal. But he had no interest in giving him up. The man had met many people in his life who had garnered his interest, but he could consider Edd to be the one who had turned him on the most. Aside from the physical attraction, the boy had a pleasant personality, one he could actually tolerate among others he'd encountered. Matthew wouldn't be surprised if he found out girls — or even boys — had put up fights for him.

The younger moaned softly as their tongues mingled with each other and was finding it more and more difficult to resist the urge to do something he would surely regret. The jacket slipped from his shoulders on the passenger seat, leaving the boy more free in his movements and the man took the opportunity to pull the boy closer. They remained this way for several moments, locked together.

Finally, however, Edd put one hand on the man's shoulder to pull himself away from the kiss.

"Th-This isn't the appropriate place to do this…" he panted, "S-Someone might see…"

"Mm…" the man grimaced, glancing at their surroundings for a moment before letting the boy go, "Guess you're right…Better not risk it."

Edd could see a few college students approaching the gate to enter the dining hall. Biting his lip, he handed the jacket back to the man.

"I should go," he murmurs shyly as he opened the car door, "I believe the meal is about to be served. It's much more tolerable when the dishes are still warm…"

Before he could exit the vehicle, Matthew grabbed his arm, pulling him back to give him a quick peck on the lips.

"See you soon, Princess."

Edd licked his lips nodding.

"S-See you soon…Matthew…" he stuttered.

With that, he slipped out of the car and made his way quickly to the hall.

* * *

I hope it was worth the wait!


	15. Dreams and reality

_Author's note:_ _I know the delay is terrible, but please forgive me. I was busy and I had no time to complete it. This month, I'm going abroad and I'll be busy again, so I have no idea when there'll be the next update. I hope it's worth it, though._

_I wanna thank my beta-reader for helping me with this fic here as well, she makes the writing way better lol_

_Anyway, his chapter contains a smut scene, you've been warned ;P_

* * *

Chapter 15:

Edd felt the erection growing in his boxers as the man teased the skin on his neck with his tongue and teeth. A moan escaped his mouth as he rubbed against Matthew, becoming more and more aroused. The elder smirked playfully, noticing how the teen was reacting to his touch. His hands wandered beneath Edd's shirt to remove it before he leaned in to press his lips against the boy's for the umpteenth time.

The long haired boy answered to the kiss with a moan; clinging to the man's shoulders and tasting his tongue passionately. The man pinched the teen's sensitive nipples with his fingers, making him moan again more loudly, both in pleasure and pain. The elder shifted his hands to the boy's jeans, taking them off and throwing the clothing somewhere in the bedroom. The teen remained only in his boxers, lying on the sheets of the huge, messy bed.

Matthew pulled off his black t-shirt, exposing his bare chest before moving back in to kiss the younger beneath him. Edd reached out a hand to touch his abdominals, brushing his fingertips against the man's skin. Matthew hummed softly, pleased by the sensation, before grabbing the boy's wrists and holding them behind the boy's head firmly.

"Hold still, sweetheart," he whispered huskily as he slipped his leather belt from his jeans, "I gotta better idea I'm sure you'll love."

With that, he ties the boy's wrists tightly to the headboard. The teen gulped slightly, but he didn't dispute it at all. The man's pants and boxers ended up with the other clothes around the room and he wasted no time in removing the last piece of cloth on the boy before returning his attention to Edd's neck. Matthew crossed every inch of skin with his tongue. From the collarbone to the sensitive nipples; he traveled, leaving a slight trail of saliva. Edd writhed under the man's treatment, waiting anxiously for what would happen next. The elder moved lower and lower. Past his stomach and down his navel until he finally reached the boy's member. Slow and torturous, he began licking the tip of it, tantalizing the younger and making him moan loudly.

He raised his head a moment later to talk to the panting boy on the sheets.

"Havin' fun, Princess?" he purred, licking his lips sensually.

Edd frowned at the short interruption, but he knew what the elder wanted to hear.

"Y-Yes, Matthew…" he stuttered feebly.

"Oh, I don't think you mean it…" Matthew chuckled, keeping his lustful eyes on Edd's as he caressed the boy's knee, "I want you to beg me to continue. Tell me how bad you want me."

Edd felt as though he was about to explode, but he had no intention to stop.

Biting his lip, he turned to the man; "I…I beg you…" He pants softly as his toes curl, "Please! Do whatever you like with me! P-Please, Matthew…Don't stop!"

Matthew chuckled, definitely satisfied by that answer. Grabbing his thighs, he places the boy's thin frame in a more comfortable position.

"Very good, Princess," he whispered, "Now let's really get started."

The teen woke up, startled when he heard the alarm clock thundering in his head. His green eyes grew wide as he rose up in confusion to take in his surroundings. His bedroom of the male dormitory, still in his single bed as usual. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he sighed softly.

Then he noticed the little 'surprise' in his boxers, bring him back to reality again. Edd closed his legs, blushing in embarrassment despite no one being around to see him. How shameful! He'd only known the man for a short time! How on earth could he have such a — Edd shudders — vulgar dream about him? And for him to enjoy it?!

With a weary sigh, he pushed aside the heavy covers. If he intended to go to class, it was better to hurry up; he still have to get his shower. If not to wash and ready himself for the day, he desperately needed it to clear his mind.

Turning off the alarm, he headed straight to the bathroom for his morning routine. He undressed himself quickly and shoved his pajamas and underwear into the laundry basket, pulling a few other items over the soiled clothing juts in case. He stepped into the shower after turning the tap, sighing softly as the warm water hit his skin.

Many thoughts wandered in and out of his mind. His first concern, of course, would be the reason for his dream. He'd already admitted to himself that he found the man attractive from the beginning. He had the same blue eyes as Eddy, but more icy and focused. His features in general were very similar to Eddy's, of course, due to their familial relation. Though that's not to say that there weren't difference as well. The man was taller, of course, and more brawny. He still had the same goatee as he'd had years before as well. All in all, Edd viewed him as a rather handsome man, so he supposed he shouldn't have been so surprised that his subconscious would conjure up such images in his sleep.

After finishing his washing routine, the teen got out of the shower and covered himself quickly to protect from the draft of cold air after it hit him. As he was drying his hair, he just barely heard someone entering the room beyond.

"Hey Edd!" the voice demanded, "Are you here?"

Jayden? He's a bit surprised. He's quite sure he'd left before him.

"Yes!" he calls back, turning off the hairdryer for a moment, "I'm currently in the lavatory preparing myself for class! I'll be out in a moment!"

Before he can turn the hairdryer back on, Jayden speaks again.

"You know, I left a bit earlier this morning so I could hit up the library," he informs him, "and I managed to find those books you were looking for a few weeks ago."

"Really?" Edd set the hairdryer on the counter and adjusted the towel around his waist, "That's quite a surprise. I searched personally more than once, but I always came up empty-handed…"

With that, he opened the door, walking swiftly to the closet to retrieve his clothes. He's not that embarrassed, as this is just like dressing in the locker room at school, but he keeps a tight grip on his towel to be safe.

"Don't worry about it," the other boy shrugged as he set the books on the desk.

He turned towards the lanky teen, eyeing him carefully from head to toe, gazing him weirdly. Edd turned back to the bathroom to dress himself and catches the ambiguous look on Jayden's face out of the corner of his eye. Shooting him a half-hearted smile, he walked to the bathroom in an uncomfortable silence. Maybe, he was too suspicious, but he had a weird impression that his roommate had a naughty expression on his face.

As he returned to drying his hair, the memories of that Friday night emerged. The teen had managed to forget about it for a short while, but the dream he had along with the current thoughts in his mind spurred on his paranoia and his anxiety. He attempted to not think too much on it, but he couldn't help but wonder about its meaning. If Jayden was gay, it would have been a pretty absurd coincidence — as if there weren't enough already! Unfortunately, Edd didn't know much about his roommate, even after months of living together. Usually, he was polite and willing to talk, but they still didn't develop an actual friendship yet.

He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he moved on to dress himself. He had something else to worry about. He'd gotten along well enough for the past few days, though he was aware he shouldn't have been so peaceful. Jordan was still out there somewhere, wandering around the city and probably not that far from him. Luckily, that molester had no idea where he lived or anything else about him for the matter. All Jordan new for sure was first name. Edd was thankful for that circumstances, content with the knowledge that the creep had no way to obtain his personal information and find him again, even he wanted to. Edd also had no reason to visit the club for a second time. Perhaps that vile wretch would have been arrested anyway. Matthew had mentioned him having a bad reputation.

Nevertheless, as far as he was aware, Jordan was still around. Although New York was a really huge city, Edd has a feeling he could meet him anywhere. He shivered at the very idea and shook his head to get rid of the thought as fast as possible. He was already stressed out enough; he surely didn't need to imagine about the worst that could happen. Best to just leave the terrible event behind and learn from his mistake. He was aware that it could have easily been avoided if he had been less naive. Regret eats away at him as he reflects on it. He felt so foolish for trusting a total stranger like that in an unknown place. It wasn't his fault — Jordan shouldn't have tried to do that to him to begin with — but he couldn't help but feel partly guilty for it as well. He desperately needed someone to talk with about what he had been through, but who?

He'd already confessed the fact to Eddy and all his shorter friend had done was make a fuss and, ironically enough, tell him to calm down. As usual — or at least lately — Eddy had succeeded in irritating him with his arrogant attitude. It had been vastly different with Ed. They talked occasionally and briefly most of the time. Ed would certainly lend a more considerate ear. However, the lovable oaf just wasn't the right person to chat with about something like…this. Despite, his obsessions with horror movies, comics, or anything gory for that matter, he was pretty sensitive when it came to something that occurred in real life and tended to get upset too easily. Edd didn't want to upset him. He was already in a messed up family situation, and he had no idea how his dear friend would react. Knowing Ed, he would have hardly kept the secret for himself.

His parents, of course weren't an option either. It would have been far too…humiliating. He imagined they would force him to talk with the police and he would undoubtedly have gotten a lecture regarding his behavior and naivety. For them to discover that he'd been doing something so frivolous would be regrettable for him as well.

He thought then about Matthew, but he wasn't sure he should bother him with this. He didn't want to stress the man out with his own problems after he'd helped him a so much already.

Finishing his usual morning routine, he exited the bathroom to collect his books. He glanced briefly at his cellphone.

[3 missing calls]

[1 message]

Edd frowned curiously and opened the text. It was from Kylie.

[hey princess! hehehehe how was your date? lol]

Edd rolled his eyes at the pet name. What gave her any right to call him that? At the same time, though, he felt compelled to answer the message. After all, she was right about the man's intentions.

[Greetings Kylie. :) It was very pleasant. Thank you for asking.]

He was about to write something else, but the girl responded immediately.

['pleasant'?! is that IT?]

[yeah right. what else happened?]

[wait! oh i know! he kissed u, right? ;D]

The lanky teen tensed considerably; how the hell did she know about that?

[I'm not sure how that's any of your business…]

The boy lingered for a few seconds, before he started typing again.

[But yes, he did. Like I said, I had a very nice time with him.]

[i KNEW it! 3]

[i have an eye for these things, ya no? princess lol]

[omg, hes drooling over u XD]

Edd blushed deeply at the girl's comment and answered briefly.

[Please do not aggrandize things so much. I highly doubt that's the case.]

[dude WHAT?!]

[no way. this is totally legit]

[ive never seen him act like this. hes totally into u]

[trust me on this. he doesnt act like this with everyone ;)]

[consider urself lucky]

Edd frowned, thinking about that carefully. Had he really been so blind to the man's affections?

[Perhaps you're right…but I'm not going to hold my breath.]

[aw cmon, ur overthinking it]

[i guess u could have ur own reasons or w/e but jeez]

Edd winced, though he agreed with her, in his misfortune.

[anyway, i think hes srsly into u. so i say its worth a shot]

[doncha think so too? ;)]

Edd smiled a little.

[Thank you for the suggestion. :) I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to go to class now. I'll see you later!]

[oh yeah! cya at lunch]

[and be ready cuz u gotta to tell me EVERYTHING!]

The teen rolled his eyes when he read the last message. Why was the girl so curious to know his business? She seemed way too interested in whatever was going on between him and Matthew, despite having only just met him a few days prior.

He moved on to the calls. The first two were from Eddy, as expected. The boy sighed at his friend's insistence. Obviously, he wasn't going to call him back right away, despite the temptation. The teen would let him stew in his own anger for a while. Perhaps then the shorter boy would finally realize how his general attitude towards the situation bothered him.

The third one, he's pleased to find, was from Ed. He'd called pretty late last night, as usual. He'll have to call back after dinner as well, since it was improbable for him to answer right now.

The teen finished getting ready and arranged his things for the lesson. His roommate had stepped into the shower.

"Jayden!" he called over the sound of running water, "I'm going to class. See you later!"

* * *

Edd walked along the hallway towards the cafeteria. After hours of algebra, biology and literature, he's glad for the break. Glancing at his surroundings as he entered the large hall, he crossed the floor, looking for a place to sit. He couldn't find Kylie on the crowd of people in front of the buffet or at the tables, so he grabbed a tray and chose the typical Monday meal. He sat at a table alone and began eating the food slowly.

A few minutes passed before he finally spotted the girl entering the cafeteria out of the corner of his eye. When she gave him an excited wave, he began mentally preparing himself for the barrage incoming questions about his 'date'. After filling her tray with the food, Kylie quickly made her way his table.

"Oh, don't think you can run away from me, Princess," she teased.

"Would you stop calling me that?" he demanded with a grimace, "I really don't appreciate it."

"Bet you like it when Mattie calls you that," she giggled mockingly.

When he gave her a look, she calmed down a bit.

"Alright, alright," she shrugged, "So tell me everything about the date."

Edd sighed; "Alright, but you have to promise me you won't share this with anyone else. I don't want any problems to arise because of my sexuality."

"Don't even sweat it," she waved it off with a small, reassuring smile, "It doesn't matter to me if you are gay. But if you're not comfortable, then I won't tell anyone Now please, tell me! I'm so curious."

"What do you want to know in particular?" Edd asked uncomfortably, "I've already told you some things…And I've never shared anything like this before."

"Well, first thing's first, where did you go?" she asked, taking a bite of her burger.

"We had enjoyed a nice lunch at this very lovely Italian restaurant in Times Square," Edd explained, vaguely.

She furrowed her brow; "You mean at Aldo's?"

"Yes, exactly," Edd nodded, "Have you been there as well?"

"Yeah, like once," she guffawed, "The food is great, but it's crazy expensive." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Wait, don't tell me he paid for you!"

"Well, he wanted to," Edd acknowledged, "but I convinced him to go dutch."

"Seriously?" she grimaced at that, "That jerk. He's usually so stingy!" After a moment, though, she smiled again, sipping at her diet coke. "He must really like you…"

Edd rolled his eyes; "Anyway, after finishing our lunch, we walked around in Times Square for a while and talked."

"You had a lot to say to each other, I bet," Kylie noted, resting her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand, "Do you have a lot in common?"

"Actually, yes…" he answered with a small grin, "I didn't expect him to enjoy certain things. He surprised me." He paused as he thought of what to say next. "After that, we visited the Central Park Zoo. We ended up staying there for hours. There were just so many animals to see and photograph."

"And…?" Kyle asked impatiently.

"And then we strolled around Central Park after getting ourselves some coffee."

"Oh, I bet this is the good part," she giggles, sounded more excited than him.

Edd bowed his head. He didn't know how to explain something like this without blushing or feeling terribly embarrassed. The girl's look that was locked on him did not help, either.

"That's when he kissed you, right?" she pried, cocking her brow.

"Yes…" Edd replied shyly, "It was."

She squealed a little; "Oh you gotta tell me all about it!"

Edd shifted uncomfortably; "W-Well…it was rather…romantic. Not what I was expecting at all. It was…gentle and he's been very kind since the beginning…I must admit, I feel a little foolish for not recognizing his intentions earlier."

"Aww, I knew it!" Kylie giggled, preparing to take another bite of her burger, "Have you already planned your next date?"

"No, not yet," Edd shrugged back, smiling shyly, "We swapped numbers the other day so I imagine it's inevitable that we'll see each other again."

"Oh yeah, he'll definitely get in touch with you," Kylie agreed gleefully, "But y'know, you should try to be more aggressive as well. You're too undecided and shy! You gotta make a move!"

"It's just…" Edd bit his lip a bit, "I don't want to seem…desperate. As it stands, we don't know each other very well and—"

"Oh c'mon!" Kylie whined, "Jeez, I know you haven't known each other for years or anything, but you're friends with his little brother, right? That's something."

"I guess that's true…" Edd shrugged bitterly.

"And anyway, you know he's interested," Kylie continued, "So you wouldn't be bothering him. No way."

"Maybe…" he sighed, poking at his food, "Well, how about this? If he hasn't called or texted me by the time I return from dinner…I'll message him. Now's just not the best time."

"Good," Kylie grinned excitedly, "Just don't wait too long. It's better to show him that you're interest for once. He's made his intentions more than clear by now." She pauses and hums dreamily. "The way he looked at you…"

The way she'd said that — so ambiguously — made the other teen blush and his eyes dart away.

"W…W-Was it really so obvious?" he mumbled, scratching his head

Was he really the only who hadn't realized it.

"Obvious is an understatement!" Kylie laughed, "C'mon, Edd, have you been living under a rock till now?"

Edd pouted, bowing his head uneasily.

"I just…I really didn't expect him to be attracted to…males…" he explains shyly, "Let alone me…"

"Really?" she asked, furrowing her brow, "Wow, it was opposite for us, we thought he was gay at first…"

"What do you mean?" the boy frowned, confused and surprised by the statement.

"Me and the girls liked to go to that club a lot when he started working there," she explained, "For a while, we hovered around him or Emily would blatantly try to hit on him. But he always rejected her or never showed any interest. We were shocked. I mean, have you seen Emily? Don't tell me she isn't hot enough."

"I must admit, she is rather attractive," Edd admitted.

"Exactly!" Kylie guffawed, "I mean, you could say she's not his 'type' or whatever, but we all noticed he never hit on girls, despite the fact that he was literally surrounded by them."

"I imagine he was probably just being professional," Edd shrugged back, "His brother always said the total opposite of him concerning women. After losing his last job, he may just be trying to do what he can to keep this one."

"Yeah, but it still seems weird," she pouted, "He really isn't the 'shy' type like you or he's not exactly 'bad-looking' or anything — it just seemed weird. I mean, now we know he's bi, but I have a feeling he prefers guys…"

"Hmm…Eddy always recounted tales of his female conquests," Edd countered, "How easy it had been for him to charm women. He never named any boys. By everything he'd said, I'd imagined that he was this womanizer who only desired female partners."

Edd pondered Eddy's ramblings about his brother's dates and hints to hit on girls when they were in middle school or even in high school. Granted, Eddy had always tended to lie about his brother, but this seemed to be the one thing about the man he was confident about. Therefore, he never mentioned Matthew's bisexuality. Could it be he was ashamed of it?

"It's obvious that he likes both," Kylie concurs, "He might've just been playing hard to get or trying to stay professional like you said, but…either way. What's important here is that he seems to want you right now. Give him a chance."

"I wouldn't go that far…" the boy murmured, almost silencing her.

"What's the problem?" Kylie giggled, "You're really cute, Edd. And I'm obviously not the only one who thinks so."

"Well…thank you for the compliment," Edd mumbled, flattered a bit, "Anyway, we'll see what happens, I guess…"

* * *

Laying on his bed, Edd stared up at his ceiling, wondering about what he should do. He had returned to his dorm to phone Ed after dinner, but the lack of communication from Matthew — no texts or calls — had him a bit disappointed. His mood had plummeted so much so that he didn't think he could contact Ed just yet.

Perhaps Kylie was right? Maybe he should take the next step forward and show Matthew what he wanted. Unfortunately, his fear that he'd come off as clingy restrained him constantly. At the same time, though, he knew the thing was supposed to be mutual and that Matthew shouldn't always be the one to chase after him.

Before he could realize it, he'd taken out his phone and texted a greeting to the man. It's about time he does a bit of the chasing.

[Salutations, Matthew]

[If you're available, I was wondering if you might like to talk for a little while?]

He gulped nervously, anxiously awaiting the man's response. He didn't realize he'd been holding his breath until the message arrived and he sighed.

[hey there princess]

[sure. i got a min]

[everything alright?]

Instead of feeling irritated by the man's use of that ridiculous pet name, Edd found himself amused by it.

[I would say so. :)]

[How are you?]

[well enough]

[id be better if you were here though ;)]

[glad you texted me first]

Edd blushed a bit. Kylie wasn't kidding when she'd said it was obvious…

[Yes…I believe I'd like to see you again as well.]

[I had a nice time with you yesterday. :)]

[same here princess 3]

[how about this week?]

The blush on the boy's face deepened a bit.

[Um…would Friday afternoon or evening be okay for you?]

[I'm afraid I'll be too busy the rest of this week]

[friday afternoon should work]

[i gotta work at the club from 11:30 — 4, but I'm free till then]

[Perfect. :)]

[guess its a date then]

[what are you up to now?]

[I just returned from dinner.]

[I'm considering putting on some classical music, though.

[How about you?]

[just had dinner myself]

[who do you like? bach? tchaikovsky? chopin?]

[Beethoven, mostly. Chopin, Mozart and Čajkovskij, sometimes.]

[I must say, I'm surprised you know any of those names.]

[Are you fond of classical music?]

[sure]

[ill listen to it sometimes]

[good for relaxing]

[I simply adore this type of music.]

[I often listen to it when I study or to calm myself when I'm nervous]

[I read somewhere that Mozart helps to learn more quickly as well, which I like to think is true]

[it could be]

[you sayin your nervous about somethin?]

Edd's started by that.

[I wouldn't say that…]

He starts to type in a more thorough explanation when Matthew responds.

[sure, sure]

[so aside from classical music, what do you like?]

[Haven't we discussed this before?]

[maybe]

[you got anything else you wanna talk about?]

[Well, I suppose not.]

[I don't have a particular inclination towards any one type of music.]

[I mentioned before that I quite enjoy muse, but I don't always like sub-genres of rock music.]

[what about metal? or alternative indie music?]

[I don't know much about Indie music, but it can be okay.]

[Honestly, though, I can't stand metal. It gives me an headache when I listen to it.]

[damn. i love metal]

[but i guess that's not that important]

[My apologies.]

[dont sweat it. its no big deal]

[So, what shall we do Friday?]

[hmm well you got the time, we can have lunch at my place or go out to eat]

[That sounds nice.]

[Shall we see a movie after lunch?]

[sure. we can eat at my place, then watch one of the movies i got lying around]

[You're cooking?]

[obviously]

[what do you want to eat?]

[How about fish? If that's alright with you…]

[i think i can manage that]

[what time should I pick you up?]

[I believe the earliest I'll be free is one o'clock.]

[sounds good]

[If I may, where exactly do you live?]

[couple blocks from the club where i work]

[center of manhattan]

[Oh my. It would seem there's quite a distance between us. I'm sorry to make you drive that far.]

[nah. its not that bad.]

[besides i dont mind ;)]

Edd smiles warmly at that. He glances at the time and sighs. He should really call Ed before it gets too late.

[My apologies. I have a few things I must tend to. I'll talk to you later?]

[definitely]

[ttyl8r princess 3]

The teen read and reread the last message over and over with a grin on his face. He was flattered by the man's attention towards him. He only hoped everything would turn out well.


	16. Shall we continue?

_Author's note_: Finally I'm back with the new chapter! (I'm late as usual tho) Hope you like it!

It contains smut, you've been warned ;)

* * *

**_Chapter 16:_**

Out of the corner of his eye, Matthew could see Edd watching the city pass through the window of the car and fidgeting nervously. Every now and then, the man gave him a curious look. He could see that the teen was obviously flustered about their little 'private date'. He was aware that he'd have to take the time and progress carefully. With that in mind, if he wanted to succeed, the first step would be to find a way to make the boy feel more comfortable.

"You alright there, Princess?" he says jovially to break the silence between them, "You look pretty lost in thought…"

The long-haired boy turned towards him and forced a small smile.

"O-Oh…yes, I'm fine, it's just…" his green eyes darted away shyly, "I'm just a bit nervous, I guess."

"Listen here, sweetheart," Matthew spoke with a slightly sweet tone, "You ain't got nothin' to be nervous about. I'm not askin' you to do anything you don't wanna do. We're just gonna hang out, right?"

For emphasis, the man placed his hand on Edd's and stroked it gently.

Edd turned his head back towards the man again and smiled more easily at the gesture. He was so…different than he expected. Eddy had no reason to be upset. The difference between the man he'd met years ago and now was like night and day.

"Yeah, you're right," Edd said with a nod, feeling much more relaxed, and looked to him directly, "So, what did you prepare for lunch?"

"Well," the man began thoughtfully, "You said you wanted fish, so I whipped up a grilled salmon, a pasta salad side and I picked up a nice, red wine."

He caressed the younger's hand for a little longer, pleased with the boy's reaction. Edd giggled a little.

"So you're hoping to encourage under-age drinking then?" he asked playfully.

"Maybe," the man shrugged back slyly, "You didn't seem to mind at the restaurant the other day?"

"I suppose that's true…" Edd admitted with a soft laugh, "As long as it's not too much, I suppose it's okay."

Matthew regarded him with a grin before returning his attention to the road. In no time at all, they reached the man's apartment and parked nearby.

"Oh my," Edd breathed as he observed the building, "It looks quite nice. Do you like living here?"

Matthew shrugged; "It's not bad, but it does get kinda noisy sometimes. It can be pretty annoying, but for the most part, it's fine."

As the two walked inside of the building, the teen began feeling flustered again and had to swallow the lump in his throat. Despite Matthew reassuring him just a few minutes before, he couldn't prevent the anxious feeling as the moment came closer.

The boy flinched when the man grasped his hand gently, leading him to the door of his apartment on the second floor. Nearly holding his breath, he waited for the elder to unlock the door and let him in.

"Sorry for the mess, by the way," Matthew said, glancing at him as he opened the door, "I didn't have much time to clean up."

Edd looked around the room as he entered, taking in every detail. He was used to tidiness and order, but it wasn't nearly as messy as the man had implied. In fact, it seemed pretty nice. There was a small, green sofa with a little wooden table in the center in front of a large television which was placed on another wooden furnishing. Gray curtains hung from the small window.

All in all, it was a pleasant, discrete flat, considering he hadn't seen all of it.

"Whatcha think, Princess?" the man asked, putting an arm around the boy's waist, "You like it?"

Edd noticed the man's gesture, but chose not to move away.

"Yes," he said with a nod, "it's quite modest. You're fortunate to have found such a nice place to live."

"Thanks," the man cast him a grin before motioning towards the kitchen area, "Well, lunch is ready. Food should still be warm."

They approached a table, which Edd was surprised to find set. Two plates were facing each other, complete with silverware positioned precisely. A bottle of wine rested in the center and an inviting scent came from the oven, suggesting the presence of the prepared food there.

"Get comfy, sweetheart," the man said, pulling out a chair at the table and motioning for Edd to take a seat, "Dishes are in the oven to keep 'em warm.

Edd smiled at the man's manners and took the offered seat to wait for the course to be served. The man quickly retrieved the plates from the oven and set them on the table.

"Added a few extra sides since there wasn't much to the main course," the man informed him, "Hope ya like it."

"It all looks wonderful," Edd complimented, "Shall I open the bottle of wine?"

"Eager, huh?" Matthew purred, casting him a sly grin as he took his seat as well, "Sure, knock yourself out. I was thinkin' the same thing."

Edd smiled at him before grabbing up the bottle opener set on the table. While he's distracted, the man admires him silently. The kid was cute as hell, but there was something more. Six years ago, the scrawny preteen had the nerve to confront him and chastise him about his attitude towards Eddy. He was twelve at the time, but he was the only one who actually had the 'bravery' to intervene.

_I like you girlfriend. You got spunk._

When Edd finally accomplished the task, he peeked at the man in front of him, who was staring at him with a grin on his face. He looked thoughtful and seemed to be more focused on him, than the food. Shyly, he offered a warm smile to the elder, examining his cold blue eyes. As Matthew retrieved the bottle to pour him a glass, the long-haired boy wondered what was going through the man's mind.

* * *

Matthew picked out a movie from the shelf in the living room above the television after a few moments of careful thought. He had to create the right atmosphere if he was going to get what he wanted from the boy. There was still a small possibility that the teen would have rejected his advances if he went too far. Planning out all his moves was the best option, though, as it turned out, the teen hadn't been so difficult to prey on. The risk wasn't as high as he'd originally thought.

Edd waited on the couch, fidgeting a bit as he lost himself in thought. He wondered what the man expected of him. He knew the elder wouldn't push him too far if he was feeling uncomfortable. The discussion in the car had clarified that.

Despite that reassurance, however, Edd had a feeling that the man probably wasn't the type to wait too long to get to the point. Aside from kissing and some early 'experimentation', the long-haired boy had absolutely no sexual experience. He wasn't sure he was prepared to lose his virginity to someone he barely knew. Moreover, the unpleasant experience of the previous night at the club made his anxiety over the situation that much worse.

The elder sat down on the couch next to the boy, making him tense a little. He felt an arm reaching behind his shoulders as Matthew leaned back against the couch and he averted his gaze from the imposing figure beside him. Even in this peaceful setting, the man was still a bit intimidating after all.

"Want somethin' to drink before I start the movie?" the man asked, drawing the boy's attention.

Edd shook his head, ignoring how dry his throat actually felt, "N-No thank you. I'm fine."

Matthew shrugged before starting the movie using the remote control. As the two kept their gazes locked on the screen, Edd could feel the man moving closer and closer. A hand gently caressed his hair, then moved to his the nape of his neck and lower, probing his skin with the tips of his fingers.

The boy shivered slightly under the elder's touch and gave an occasional glance to the man. Soothed by his ministrations, he didn't resist the urge to lean his head on Matthew's shoulder. The man smirked at the boy's reaction, moving the hand from his shoulder to his waist and grasping it firmly. With a shiver, Edd raised his eyes to the man's face to meet his gaze, feeling his heartbeat speed up again.

Biting his lip, the man yielded to the urge to meet Edd's lips for a kiss. The teen, after a few seconds of surprise, relaxed and turned to the man. He grasped the plaid shirt in one of his hands as he responded to the kiss with a soft moan. Matthew held the boy against him and sucked voraciously on the teen's tongue; whatever self-control he had now his delight, it seemed that Edd was just as eager as he was, moving his tongue along with Matthew's. Their bodies were warming up as they started to grind against each other.

As the man moved to start tasting his neck, an obnoxious ringing broke through their passionate affair. Edd immediately recognized the ringtone of his cellphone as he reluctantly pulled away.

"I…I-I'm sorry," he panted, breathless, "I-I should really answer that…"

"No problem, go ahead," Matthew shrugged, hoping to sound more nonchalant about it than he felt as he paused the movie.

The teen glanced to the screen of his phone to see who was calling. As suspected, it was Eddy. He felt his heart sink as he stared at the bright display for a few seconds, unsure of what to do.

The elder picked up on his uneasiness and frowned; "Well? Why don't you answer?"

Edd shifted his look towards the man, biting his lip; "It's…Eddy."

Those words were enough to make Matthew's expression change. He rolled his eyes and grimaced.

"If you don't want to answer, you don't need to," he informed him, "Especially after the way he acted towards you."

"Yes, but…" Edd paused as he tried to think of how to justify answering, "He's called me a number of times in the past few days…Perhaps he's realized the consequences of his oblivious and heinous attitude?"

"Whatever," the man sneered, with a hint of bitterness in his tone, "Do what you want. I ain't gonna stop you from talkin' to your friend."

Hesitating for a second, Edd reluctantly clicked the green button on the display to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey Double D," Eddy's voice sounded uncertain on the other end of the line, "It's me."

"Oh…" Edd tried to sound surprised, as though he didn't have the caller ID, "Salutations, Eddy…"

"Listen Dee…" Eddy began slowly, "I think we need to talk. I know I've been acting like a jerk lately and…I wanna make sure everything's okay between us. Don't think I haven't noticed that you've been ignoring my calls and texts since our fight…"

"Eddy…" Edd interjected, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but…do you think we could we postpone this conversation for another time, please? I…I'm busy right now."

"Aw c'mon," Eddy whined, sounding both amused and a little worried, "don't tell me you're already glued to your books on a Friday afternoon."

"Not…exactly…" Edd mumbled back before sighing, "Listen, I'm out of my dorm at the moment. May I call you some time tonight? We can discuss this more thoroughly then."

"Alright, alright," Eddy groaned back, "I guess that's fine for me. Whatcha up to anyway?"

Edd's eyes widened a bit in surprise. He had to come up with something convincing. He certainly couldn't tell him the truth. Eddy would have been enraged if he found out what was going on between him and his brother.

"Uh…N-Nothing much, just, y'know some shopping," Edd made an attempt to sound sincere, but lying wasn't one of his best skills, "I need to buy a few new clothes."

"Oh yeah?" Eddy chirped, appearing to buy the taller teen's excuse, "Cool. Have some fun at least. I'll talk to ya tonight."

"I will, thank you," Edd said, trying to fight his sigh of relief, "Talk to you later. Goodbye."

With that, he ended the call and shut the phone. As he turned back around, he noticed the man's attentive stare on him. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Fortunately, I was right," he shrugged, "It would seem that Eddy does want to talk with me about what happened and apologize."

"See?" the man asked, flashing him a forced smile, "You just needed to ignore him for a while to make him take the hint."

He fought the urge to sneer in his anger. If his brother hadn't apologized to Edd, it would have been so much better for him. Edd didn't have to lean on the little Pipsqueak, especially after moving to New York for school. So, why did they have to keep in touch all the damn time? He definitely cared too much for the shorter boy and it was rubbing Matthew in all the wrong ways.

"Yes," Edd smiled, oblivious to the man's envy, "It would appear you were right."

Matthew took the remote and played the movie again, sprawling back against the sofa. He had to relax — pretend as if 'the call' had never happened and that it didn't bother him at all. He'd have to if he wanted to continue what they'd started. He rested his arm behind the boy's back and pulled him closer once again.

The teen didn't resist the man's touch and turned to him. He too wished to continue what they were doing before, however, he was quite unsure about where it could have led. Matthew took Edd's lack of resistance as a sign and leaned in to kiss him again, keeping his arm behind the boy's back.

Edd flinched sightly at the contact before kissing the man back. He felt a bit more relieved after his conversation with Eddy, but he was still doubtful. He only hoped his friend wouldn't have too many questions that night.

The teen moaned when he felt Matthew's tongue mingling with his own and clenched at the man's shirt firmly. A hot flash ran through the man's body and he had to fight the urge to shove the boy onto the sofa and rip off all his clothes at once.

When Matthew pulled away to begin tracing the boy's neck with his lips, Edd was panting, breathless and moaning softly. He tilted his head back to facilitate the other, arching his back some as the man's teeth quickly replaced his tongue against the boy's skin, leaving several marks behind. His strong hands roamed over the teen's hips and grasped them possessively, making Edd squirm slightly from the contact. He knew it was getting heavy, but he had no intention to stop just yet.

Matthew sucked and nibbled at every inch of skin he met before finally reaching the boy's collarbone. He tugged at the teen's dress shirt and glanced at him. With a gulp, Edd decided to make his move. He bit his lip as he put his hands on the man's shoulders to raise himself up before straddling the man's lap. Matthew smirked, unbuttoning the long-haired boy's white shirt before shucking it off and throwing it away somewhere else in the room.

Edd licked his lips a bit as the man then slipped his hands under the white undershirt, his lips returning to the boy's slender neck. Matthew's long fingers reached one of the teen's nipples and began caressing and teasing it playfully. Edd moaned again out loud, feeing the bulge in his pants grow.

Pulling away from the boy for a moment, Matthew removed his own shirt to expose his bare chest. Biting his lower lip, Edd followed suit and removed his undershirt as well. With a grin, the man leaned in to start sucking on Edd's neck again; tracing a line with his mouth until he reached the boy's nipples. The teen felt as if he was on fire as the man's wet tongue made contact with his skin. Instinctually, he dug his fingers into the dark hair to pull him closer. Matthew's hands rested on Edd's hips while he was concentrated on the boy's chest. The younger closed his eyes, lost amidst the pleasing sensations going through his body. However, he became suddenly aware of the ache in his legs from the uncomfortable position and inadvertently rubbed against the man's crotch.

Matthew released a long moan and gently pushed the teen onto the sofa. The long-haired boy opened his eyes in surprise, but didn't fight the action to instead stretch his legs out along the sofa. The man was upon him soon enough and grabbed the boy's hands before holding them above his head. They resumed kissing and grinding against each other again until they both began squirmed against the uncomfortable feeling of the fabric of their jeans. Keeping one hand around the boy's wrist, the man moved one hand to unbutton his pants and Edd's quickly.

Edd flinched as he peeked at the elder and had to gulp down the lump in his throat. It was getting intense for sure, but stopping this may not be the best idea…Though, there's a chance he might have regretted it later.

Matthew noticed the tension in the body beneath him and stopped; "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing, it's just…" Edd paused, before raising himself to sit up on the sofa, "I was just thinking that…m-maybe we aren't going a little too far…?"

The man held back a grimace; "Why? I mean, we're just havin' a little fun, right?"

"Well…" the boy mumbled, looking thoughtful.

"Relax, sweetheart," the man purred in a seductive, persuasive tone, "we don't have to do anything you don't want to. Here…just lay there and let me show you something you'll like."

Allured by his words, Edd let himself nod; "P-Perhaps you're right…"

He lay back, spreading his legs to pander to the man's desire. Matthew smiled to himself as he witnessed this. Getting on one knee, he leaned over the boy to kiss him. After having a taste of his lips, he moved to his neck; traveling to his chest. He stopped to tease and suck the boy's nipples, sending a jolt through Edd's body that had him squirming and panting under the man's touch.

The elder finally crossed his navel and reached his waist. Effortlessly, he unzipped and removed the teen's jeans, pulling them down the thin legs to expose the boy's black boxers. Edd blushed shyly as he was being undressed.

Matthew prodded at the hem of the boy's underwear playfully, licking his lips at the sight of the swelling bulge under the soft fabric. As the man pulled the last of his clothing down his body, Edd raised his hips and averted his gaze shyly.

When the boy's member was bared, the man gently brushed the tip of it with his fingers. The sensation drove the teen to close his eyes. The dream he'd had about the man was quickly becoming a reality and affirming that the elder was indeed driving him mad.

The man initiated his work with his tongue to tease the tip of the teen's erection, using his right hand to stroke the shaft. The man's ability was quite apparent as Edd spread his legs further. He desperately gripped the cushions in his shaking hands as he felt pleasure overwhelming him.

The moans became louder and higher as Matthew increased his speed. He was doing his best to make this experience as pleasurable and unforgettable as he could for the younger. The boy released a longer moan, arching his back as he reached his peak. Stars exploded behind his eyes as the wave of pleasure washed over him.

As Edd's body relaxed against the sofa, the man rose to sit up. Matthew licked his lips sensually after swallowing the boy's release before observing him with a smug look.

"Guess you really enjoyed that, Princess," he noted facetiously, "Was it worth it?"

Edd nodded, breathless; "You…You were absolutely right…"

"Well then…" the man purrs, leaning over him more, "Shall we continue…?"


	17. Little white lie

Author's note: Guys, I know this time I'm 3 months late and I haven't posted any chapter this summer, but I was kinda stuck with this chapter and I was busy with other school stuff. Actually, I wrote a two short EddEddy fics (you can find them on my Tumblr blog and/or here on my page), so you can give a look if you are interested. Hope you enjoy this part!

There's some smut at the beginning, anyway ;)

**_Chapter 17:_**

After Matthew pronounced those words, Edd kissed him again. The man panted and ground himself against the slim figure below him as he tasted the teen's tongue, enjoying the sweet taste of his mouth. Edd felt the man's arousal on his thigh and gulped down the nervous lump in his throat. Clearly, it was his turn to please him.

They divided themselves from each other to catch their breath and Edd took a moment to observe the elder carefully. He reached out a hand to caress the man's chest slowly, as though to mimic his actions in his dream.

The man closed his eyes to enjoy the teen's touch upon his skin. It brought a content grin to his face. Everything was working out better than he expected, now he just had to give him free rein and let the boy show him what he could do.

He's caught off-guard, however, when the younger placed both hands firmly on his shoulders to push him onto his back against the sofa. The teen's legs remained astride the man as they completely switched positions. Matthew was taken aback by Edd's move, but smirked to himself. The teen's inner sass really was one of Edd's best qualities.

Edd began teasing the elder, tracing a twisting, winding line along his chest. Boldly, he stimulated the sensitive skin with his tongue and teeth to make the man squirm in pleasure. Despite the boy's inexperience, Matthew felt completely satisfied by the teen's actions.

It didn't take long for the boy to reach the man's waist. He gulped at the sight of the elder's bulging erection, hesitating for a few seconds as he steeled his nerve. To Edd's relief, the man didn't seem to notice his hesitation. Taking a deep breath to relax himself, the teen proceeded to unzip the man's jeans. As he pulled both the jeans and the man's boxers down and took them off, Matthew moved himself into a better position. The long-haired boy gazed at the large member before shyly grasping it with one hand, and using the other for support.

He began stroking the shaft slowly and brought his lips tentatively to the tip. It felt incredibly intimidating for him to do such a thing for the first time and with a much older person — let alone with Eddy's brother — but he didn't regret it. He grazed the tip with his lips as he continued pumping his hand up and down and closed his eyes to better focus on what he's doing. His grip tightened slightly in an effort to coordinate his movements as he explored the man's member with his tongue. However, his uncertainty decreased when the man released a long, loud moan before a firm grasp was placed on his hair.

"Mmm…so good, sweetheart…" Matthew spoke breathlessly, "Don't stop…"

Edd felt more at ease upon hearing those words and increased his speed. He tasted the small drips of precum and shivered before working more fervently with his tongue and lips on the elder's manhood. Matthew's moans intensified, sounding more and more hoarse with each stroke.

"Almost…there!" The man moaned one last time as he reached his overwhelming peak.

Edd closed his green eyes, welcoming the release with a little whimper. At least the man had the courtesy to offer some sort of warning to him to avoid any unpleasing situation. The man studied the boy carefully as he recovered slowly from his orgasm.

"Well, well," he purred, "Gotta admit, I can't say I was expectin' it to be that good — it bein' your first time with that…"

Edd averted his eyes shyly as he was beckoned to lie beside the man. He released a small giggle before obeying. He curled up against the man's side and rested his head on his shoulder.

Matthew stretched out an arm to grab a blue blanket near him before finally glancing at television screen again. The movie they decided to watch was just about halfway in.

"Hmm…" he murmured, the remote in hand, "How about we rewind and actually try watching from the beginning? Pretty sure we missed a few important parts." He winked at the boy, flashing him a sly grin. "Not that I'm really complaining…"

Edd nodded in agreement; "Yes, I believe that would be a wise idea. We hardly watched the beginning anyway. But first, would you mind if I used the lavatory?"

"Uh…sure," Matthew shrugged, pointing down the hallway, "it's down the hall on the right."

Edd stood up, pulling his underwear and pants back up before swiftly exiting the room.

Meanwhile, Matthew focused on rewinding the movie, absent-mindedly reflecting on what just happened. Everything was working out better than expected between them. To his surprise, the teen seemed pretty willing towards him. Of course he'd have to wait for the best part, but it'll all be worth it. He just needed to be careful and not push it farther than necessary. And, of course, stay patient.

After a few minutes, the teen returned to the living room and curled back up under the blanket next to the elder. As the man started the movie back up, Edd leaned his head again on the man's shoulder and glanced at him. He was so far quite pleased with their little date and he was glad that Matthew hadn't been too demanding.

Matthew felt the younger's eyes upon him and turned to kiss him again. Unlike before, it was tender and soft. Shivers ran through the long-haired teen's body and he clung to the man in response to the kiss. The elder placed his hand on the boy's hips and lured him to his chest. They made out passionately until they were breathless and the man held the younger in his arms.

"Better watch the movie now, I barely know what it's about." Matthew said, quietly.

Edd smiled and focused on the screen in front of them.

* * *

After having dinner at the cafeteria, Edd decided it was about time to call Eddy back. Sitting on his bed, he waited patiently for the shorter boy to answer.

"Hello?"

"Greetings, Eddy," Edd said happily, glad to talk with his friend again.

"Double Dee! Hey! How was your shopping?"

Edd shifted a bit on his bed; "Pretty good, thank you…"

As much as he hated it, lying was the only option for the moment.

"That's good." The shorter teen paused for a second. "Sorry for interrupting you while you were out, by the way…I wanted to call back earlier cuz I wanted to, well, apologize, y'know…?"

"It's fine." Edd smiled, even though the other couldn't see him.

"No, seriously." Eddy insisted, "I know why you were so mad. I've been so busy lately — the workshop sucks up a lot of my time. Plus, if I ever have a spare minute, Lee pesters me about being with her and focusing on her."

"I understand, Eddy." The long-haired teen agreed with his friend, shrugging.

If Eddy apologized, it meant that he actually did care about their friendship, so it wasn't necessary to go on and on about this. He had always been a good friend, after all.

"To be honest, I'm gettin' pretty stressed out…" The shorter boy sighed, "Turns out Lee's the jealous type…If she sees me on the phone texting or talking to someone, she gets suspicious and starts bitching. If I try to shrug it off, it makes the situation even worst and she starts accusing me of cheatin' on her or some shit. She's always checkin' on me — whatever I do — and I can't even hang out with Kevin anymore because of Nazz."

"I always knew the Kanker sisters to be very hot-headed — particularly Lee," Edd noted with a grimace, "but this seems to be a bit extreme. Have you tried talking to her directly about this?"

"I've tried," Eddy retorted, clearly tense, "but then she just turns around and accuses me of hiding something to her. Shit just keeps gettin' worse."

"Well, it sounds like you don't have too many options, Eddy," Edd sighed, "Either you try again to have a conversation with her or you just…have to be patient…"

He chose to avoid the remaining option. He couldn't tell his friend to break up with her directly. Despite it being the best option, it would be inappropriate of him to make the suggestion.

"I don't understand why she's so paranoid. I've never done anything that could be considered even remotely suspicious. I'm not an asshole and I wouldn't cheat on her."

"She's always been a bit 'possessive'," Edd commented, "I imagine she's just afraid of losing you. Speak to her again, and really make yourself clear."

"Yeah…" Eddy sighed helplessly, "I'll give it a shot…Anyway, it sounds like you're feelin' better than before."

"Yes, I suppose so," Edd bowed his head, blushing a little, "I've been doing my best to avoid thinking about what occurred that night."

"If you need to vent or something I'm here, Dee," Eddy offered sweetly, "What you went through aint somethin' that you can just shake off…"

"I know, Eddy."

A little smile appeared on Edd's face. Sometimes Eddy's voice could be so calming. A moment of silence loomed over them before the long-haired boy heard the other sigh.

"Listen, I don't wanna push you or anything," Eddy mumbles, "but…are you sure that you don't wanna go to the police? That piece of shit is still walkin' around. He deserves to pay for what he did."

Edd paled a bit; "Yes, Eddy, I'm sure. I don't intend to do anything at the moment."

"I mean…I guess you don't have to do it right now. You could still wait but—"

"I said no," Edd stated, harsh and grim.

"Okay, okay…" Eddy sighed, "Never mind…I was just wondering if, uh…"

"If what?" Edd replied, slightly alarmed.

"If…you were safe…" Eddy continued seriously, "I don't want to worry you or anything, but if he's still around he might try to, well…get 'revenge' on you since he didn't get what he wanted. He doesn't seem like the kinda guy who'd give a shit when it comes to hurting someone…"

Edd froze and shook his head in disbelief; "I…I only told him my first name. He doesn't know where I live, what I do…It's not something to worry about…"

"Does he know anyone you know?" Eddy asked, immediately.

"Just Matthew, to my knowledge," Edd answered reluctantly.

Edd could hear the grimace in Eddy's voice, "Well, good thing you're avoidin' that scumbag, right…?"

"Don't talk about him like that, Eddy," Edd scolded, " If you'll recall, he did help me that night."

"Oh yeah, real knight in shinin' armor he is…" Eddy scoffed, "Bet for the right price, he'd also help out that creep that tried to rape you…"

"I highly doubt that, Eddy," Edd sneered, clutching the phone a bit tighter, "If it wasn't for him I…"

He stopped himself from continuing, feeling sick.

"Alright, alright…" Eddy sighed, "I guess he did help. But I still don't like that he's around."

"Eddy, we've been over this. I'm aware that your relationship with your brother is strained and broken, but it doesn't change what happened. So, please, could you be less condescending?"

"Are you kidding me?!" Eddy squawked "Did he manipulate you or something?"

"No, he didn't…manipulate me…" Edd grumbled, "Look, I'm not asking you to forgive him for everything he put you through, but at the very least, can't you just admit he's done something good?"

Edd tried his best to sound impartial. The fact that he and Matthew had begun seeing each other was the last thing Eddy needed to find out.

"Yeah, I get it," Eddy groaned, "Guess he's your hero now, huh?"

Edd sighed, exasperated; "Really, Eddy! This coming from someone who spent years calling the man his hero and worshipping the very ground he walked on? From the person who dragged Ed and I so far from home when we were in that absurd situation with the neighborhood kids in a pathetic attempt to 'protect' us? Only to be proven severely incorrect when that man beat and humiliate him? Can't you be unbiased just once?"

Eddy sighed as well: "Alright…" he admitted bitterly, "He did help you. He did the right thing. Whatever. Can we change the subject now?"

"Very well."

Eddy's reaction to the subject of his brother didn't surprise Edd in the slightest, but he wondered what was really behind all that resentment and hatred. He imagined he was just betrayal. Eddy had loved and idolized his brother since he was very young, but the way the man treated him had had such a huge impact on him. The pain of the man's betrayal of that perfect image must have been too much. Edd wished the two could reconcile. The shorter boy could be at peace for once and Matthew could have a decent relationship with at least one member of his family. Though, Edd admits it won't be that easy for either of them.

"Look, I wanted to make sure everything was okay," Eddy said, his tone calm and normal again.

"I'm alright, Eddy," Edd replied, "How is Ed? I've not heard from him in a while…"

"He's ain't around much," Eddy answered, "If I ever do see him, he seems to be alright, though. Pretty sure he's got a lot of trouble goin' on at home. Wouldn't surprise me if he's feelin', y'know, sad and stuff…"

Edd's expression darkened. It would seem that Ed's situation had gotten worse during the fall.

"I wish I could help him, but I've no idea how…"

"Me too, but I ain't got any better idea than you…"

"What about Sarah? How's she doing? Is she still causing trouble?"

"She's still a brat," Eddy scoffed, "but I don't think she's the main problem…Ed's parents have always have been kinda…"

"Negligent?" Edd added, carelessly.

"Yeah…" Eddy mumbled, "I hope it'll get better. He doesn't deserve all that shit."

"Me too…" Edd murmured, resting his back against the pillow, "I'll try to call him when I have time."

"I'd try sometime in the evening," Eddy advised, "He usually stays up way late to read comics and watch his horror movies."

"It's nice to know he's still so enthusiastic about those old hobbies of his," Edd said with a smile

Suddenly, the long-haired boy heard the door opening and someone walk in.

"Hey, Edd."

"Greetings, Jayden," Edd said, turning towards the brown-haired boy.

"Who's Jayden?" Eddy asked, curiously.

"My roommate."

"What?" Eddy exclaimed, loud as usual, "I thought you were by yourself at that dorm! What's it like to share a room?"

"Pretty good, actually. Why?" Edd frowned at the shorter boy's question.

"Well, you always had a room by yourself back home…" Eddy answered, "I hope you don't yell at him for messing your stuff up or taking off labels."

Edd rolled his eyes. Of course, he'd make fun of him for that his organization.

"Very funny. It's a shame that I stopped doing that years ago," Edd replied with a fake offended tone.

"Good for your roommate, then," Eddy chuckled.

"I'd like to think Jayden enjoys having me as a roommate," Edd stated, "I'm a tidy person who takes frequent showers and keep things in order."

"Guess that's a plus…" Eddy shrugged

Edd glanced to the other boy, who's waiting for him.

"Anyway, I need to get off here for now, Eddy," he said sternly, "I promised Jayden that we'd go to the school library together to get some books."

"Alright, Sockhead," Eddy sighed, "I'll talk to ya later. Take it easy, okay?"

"I'll do my best, Goodbye."

With that, Edd hung up and set the phone on the nightstand. Standing up, he stretched a bit.

"I fear I've been sitting on that bed for a bit too long," he chuckled.

Jayden smirked, leaning against the jamb of the bedroom's door.

"Well, it's still the weekend," he noted, "You deserve to just veg out in bed for a while."

"I suppose you're right," Edd nodded, following the other boy out to the hallway and down the stairs.


End file.
